THE
P RTAL
January 2012
One of those problems is undoubtedly money. We
asked Fr Keith about this. “Well,” he said, “It is new
structure. Just setting up a financial structure takes a
great deal of time. There is no money out there, just
what we provide. The Friends of the Ordinariate and the
Catholic Church in England and Wales have provided
money, but we need some very large donations.”
Jackie raised the complicated
question
of
Ordinariate
priests
appointed
to
Diocesan Parishes. Fr Keith
acknowledged that there were
positives and negatives here.
“There is tension between the
Ordinariate having a life and
ethos of its own, the gift we
bring to the Catholic Church,
and the fact that it needs to be
part of the Catholic Church
and engage with the local Diocese. In most cases
this works exceedingly well. Some priests care for
a Diocesan congregation as well as the Ordinariate
congregation. It can be difficult, but I am pragmatist.
Clergy need to live; if a Diocese wants priests to care
for Diocesan congregations that is OK, it does provide
a stipend.” Jackie pointed out that some Ordinariate
Groups found it difficult to understand that their
priest was not just there for them. Fr Keith took this on
the chin and drew attention to the fact that only two
or three of the Ordinariate Groups were self-financing
and self-sufficient.
Page 11
without a local congregation. But it is important for
us to have a presence in Walsingham. What form it
would take, I am not sure.”
Mgr Keith Newton told us he has excellent relations
with both the Conference of Bishops of England and
Wales, and that for Scotland. “They have been very
welcoming”, he said.
Those who read The Portal
every month will know that
the New Evangelisation is a
concern of ours. We asked Fr
Keith about growth and if he
saw the Ordinariate growing.
“Yes I do,” he declared. “It
will be slow and depend
on a number of factors:
congregations settling down,
Anglican Patrimony being
explored, the congregation not being inward looking
but with a real mission to the lapsed and un-baptised.
It is an attitude of mind. We are not just here for
ourselves, we have to look out to the world. Of course
some congregations will disappear, others will grow.”
With regard to the proposed Ordinariate in the U.S.A.,
Fr Keith is “delighted”. “I am interested to know who
the Ordinary will be. Some former Pastoral Provision
Parishes are keen to be in the Ordinariate. When I was
in the U.S.A., I said Mass for the people of Saint Luke’s
Bladensburg where the whole congregation has been
received into the Catholic Church. It is very different
There has been much talk about the Ordinariate from England, because many congregations can take
having its own Church building, preferably in their buildings with them, or at least have use of them.
London. Fr Keith was unequivocal, “We do need a But there are difficulties as well. The vast distances
centre in London; a principal Church that represents between congregations are a problem. I understand
the Ordinariate with good liturgy and good pastoral that the Clergy formation will be done by interactive
practice. We are looking at one option, but there are computers because of this problem.”
not many spare churches in London! To find a church
that is underused is difficult. Jackie suggested that
Jackie asked Fr Keith about having a national day
there might be other places where the Ordinariate event for the Ordinariate. He was enthusiastic, “Yes,
could have a building. Fr Keith warmed to the subject, I think that is essential. We had a sort of one with the
“I would like to see us have buildings of our own. Reparation Pilgrimage at Walsingham last July. We
Sharing can be difficult. I hope we shall have our own. could go to Birmingham Oratory or Walsingham, and
Maybe an underused Church where there is a Catholic I am hoping to have a Chrism mass in Holy Week.”
congregation – but it would be the Ordinariate
Church.”
As we took our leave, Fr Keith said, “I want to say
that we have achieved a lot in twelve months. There
Ronald reminded Fr Keith of our interview with Fr is uncertainty and there are problems, but there are
Alan Williams, the Director of the National Shrine of plusses too. It is not just about your congregation, we
OLW, in last month’s Portal. Fr Williams had speculated have to look to the whole Ordinariate and play our
whether there would be an Ordinariate building in part in the New Evangelisation.”
Walsingham. Fr Keith said, “We need to have people
in Walsingham, but there is no Group there at present.
We thanked Fr Keith for his time, his honesty and
This is true of the Principal Church, there is no point his enthusiasm for an exciting project.