Pope Embraces Anglicans in U.S. with New Ordinariate

Pope Benedict XVI is continuing his efforts to welcome members of the Anglican and Episcopal Churches into communion with the Catholic Church, Following the successful establishment of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham for England and Wales on January 15, 2011, he has established the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter for the United States.

The new Ordinariate will allow members of the Anglican and Episcopal Churches in the United States, as well as ministers and entire parishes, to become a part of the Catholic Church but retain some of their traditional prayers, hymns and services. The Ordinariate will function very much as a diocese but on a national level. CNS reports that the first Ordinary is Father Jeffrey N. Steenson, who once was an Episcopal bishop but is now an ordained Catholic priest. He is married, and has three children and a grandson. His married status bars his elevation to the rank of bishop in the Catholic Church.

The Ordinariate will be administered from the parish of Our Lady of Walsingham, an Anglican use parish in Houston. Several other such parishes received into the Church over the last three decades exist. More than 100 ministers and over 1,000 individuals nation wide have expressed interest so far in joining the Ordinariate. Last fall two entire parishes were received into the Catholic Church as preparation for joining the Ordinariate after it was established.

Anglicans have been welcomed by the Catholic Church since 1980, subject to the approval of individual diocesan bishops. The rites and forms for Anglican Use parishes are well established. The creation of the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter moves that process to a national level. The Ordinariate for England and Wales has establish e d more than 50 groups, the equivalent of parishes, in its first year. The Ordinariate of the United States, on January 1, 2012, has none but that can be expected to change rapidly as preparations have been under way for some months.