Ordinariate invites Anglicans to take part in 'exploration day'
By MADELEINE TEAHAN on Monday, 28 April 2014
Mgr Newton, leader of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham
(Photo: Mazur/catholicnews.org.uk)
The Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham has launched a new initiative to reach out to Anglicans who may be considering joining it.
In his homily at the ordinariate's Chrism Mass the leader of the ordinariate, Mgr Keith Newton, said the planned exploration day, named "Called to be One", was part of new efforts on the ordinariate's part to communicate its message "much more widely and with more vigour and enthusiasm".
He said this was an important part of ensuring that it grew and flourished in the way intended when it was established in 2011.
Mgr Newton said: "We must be honest and say the ordinariate has not grown as much as we hoped it might. The vision has not been caught. This means we must communicate our message much more widely and with more vigour and enthusiasm.
"It is for this reason we have set apart Saturday September 6 as an exploration Day when each cluster of ordinariate groups should organise an event and invite those who might be interested to learn more about that vision for unity and truth in communion with the successor of Peter. We struggled a bit to find a name for the day which would give it some national identity. One wag suggested 'Home to Rome' but we thought that might be a little too provocative. Instead it will be named 'Called to be One'. You will be hearing more about this in the coming months but for the time being please keep this initiative in your prayers. We have produced a prayer card for everyone which will be passed on to groups by our priest-coordinators."
Mgr Newton told The Catholic Herald: "The Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith Cardinal Gerhard Műller, recently told us that, in these early years of the Ordinariates' existence, we would be judged on how well we manage both to preserve the integrity and distinctiveness of the ordinariates, but at the same time, integrate ourselves into the wider Catholic community.
"These two events in September give us the opportunity both to reflect on how well we are achieving that balance here in the UK and also to reach out to others and show them more of this great ecumenical project of which we are so proud to be a part".
Two weeks after the exploration day, over the weekend of Friday September 19, ordinariate clergy and faithful from across the country will gather for an "Ordinariate Festival" which will include an address by Cardinal Vincent Nichols on how the ordinariate fits in to the life and mission of the wider Catholic Church in Britain.