THE
P RTAL
August 2012
Page 9
The Ordinary’s Page
Monsignor Keith Newton writes
I sometimes
get a little exasperated when people ask
why we cannot become proper Catholics, as if diocesan Catholics
(for want of a better phrase), Melkites, Maronites, or members of
Opus Dei are somehow more C atholic than those who enter into
the full communion of the Catholic Church through the Personal
Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham. Such comments are based on a
misunderstanding of the nature of the Church.
misunderstanding
of
England
The truth is that the Catholic Church is far more w h a t e v e r
We
diverse than many imagine. What unites Catholics happens.
is a common Faith, which is set forth clearly in the should keep them
Catechism of the Catholic Church, and communion in our prayers.
with the Holy See.
become a Catholic for its own sake
No one should become a Catholic simply as a way of
Indeed legitimate diversity is not inconsistent with
the unity of the Catholic faith; unity does not require escaping the problems of trying to live a Catholic life
uniformity. However, there must be that common in the C of E; you have to want to become a Catholic
faith and a belief that the Office of Bishop of Rome is for its own sake.
Christ’s will for his Church.
Nevertheless, we pray that in God’s good time many
desire for truth, unity
will come to see that the Church of Jesus Christ, which
and communion
is one, holy, catholic and apostolic, in the words of the
Those of us who have become Catholics over the Dogmatic Constitution Lumen Gentium, “subsists
last eighteen months have done so because of that in the Catholic Church, which is governed by the
desire for truth, unity and communion. This was successor of Peter and by the bishops in communion
paramount even though the media said it was all with him”.
about the ordination of women to the episcopate. Nor
did I believe the hyperbole of the press that hundreds long term project
of priests and thousands of lay folk would leave the
For this reason we do not expect a great influx of
Church of England over that issue. The Ordinariate was people over the next few years. Rather this is a long
always going to be a modest but significant movement. term project as small groups of Anglican priests
and people gather together to be guided by the Holy
concerned for our friends
Spirit about their future. For ourselves we have been
and former colleagues
pioneers, now we simply need to be patient, prepared
Last month the General Synod of the Church of and waiting to welcome our brothers and sisters when
England decided to delay the decision about women that time comes.
in the episcopate so that the bishops might look again
at the amendments they had added to the legislation small steps
to help those who object to women bishops for
In his recent book ‘The Mystery of the Mustard
theological reasons.
Seed: Foundations of the Thought of Benedict XVI’
Cardinal Koch, the President of the Pontifical Could
It is not for us in the Ordinariate to comment about for Promoting Christian Unity, argues that the Holy
internal matters for the Church of England, though Father believes that renewal of the Church begins with
we should be concerned for our friends and former small movements and that great things begin with
colleagues who are struggling for an honoured place small steps.
which seems less and less likely to be given. Many of
them will be waiting to see where the Synodical process
All we can pray for is that we might make a small
will lead, though I suspect most will stay in the Church contribution to that renewal.