THE P RTAL
December 2014
Page 20
A meeting with the Ordinary
As we approach the fourth
anniversary of the Ordinariate
of Our Lady of Walsingham,
Jackie Ottaway met with our
Ordinary, Monsignor Keith
Newton
Jackie O: Father, we are approaching the fourth
ann iversary of the Ordinariate of OLW. What have we
achieved in that time?
Mgr KN: It is a short time in the history of the
Catholic Church. Our achievements have been modest,
but significant. We have helped about 1500 \people
into full communion with the Catholic Church, and
prepared for Ordination around 86 former Anglican
priests, who are now Catholic priests. We have two to you they want union with the Universal Church, the
Religious communities in full Communion. People question is, what do you think that might look like in
practice?
are showing interest in us.
We have about 40 groups of different sizes who
are worshipping together regularly. Some of them
are well established, others are having difficulty,
but that’s to be expected. It is amazing; we began
something entirely new that had never happened
in the Catholic Church. We’ve had festivals and
other events and these will grow. I am told that
the Ordinariate has made a significant difference
in parts of the Church. Of course, there are other
parts which have little understanding of the
Ordinariate and we have to address that.
We are an experiment of what this looks like in
practice. We have something that is united with the
Catholic Church, but not absorbed. Ecumenism must
not be only talk; it must work out the practice. We are
not the only way, but the Catholic Church has been
prophetic in that it has embraced a tradition which
comes from the west, from the 16th century originally.
It’s almost like a free province.
We came in under the auspices of the Apostolic
Constitution Anglicanorum Coetibus, which was
specifically about responding to a request that
Anglicans had made to the Holy See to further corporate
union whilst retaining aspects of Anglican Patrimony,
consistent with the Catholic faith. It has incredible
ecumenical implications. When Anglo Catholics say
Cardinal Nichols spoke about a balance, at our
festival in September, between distinctiveness and
communion with the wider Church. We have to get
that balance right. If the Ordinariate is being absorbed,
we need to ask why. We’re not going to enrich the
Catholic Church if we do not bring particular things
which are going to help us.
Jackie O: Some of our groups are becoming
indistinguishable from diocesan parishes, whilst
others are flourishing. How would you see the position
Jackie O: Some people are asking what the developing?
Ordinariate is for.
Mgr KN: It is inevitable that some people will
Mgr KN: The Ordinariate is about bringing into the get absorbed into the local Catholic culture. It is
wider Catholic Church aspects of the life of a Christian disappointing, but expected. This is not the vision
denomination which was formed in 16th century of the Ordinariate, which should be growing
England. That is the most important significance. distinctive groups worshipping in a distinctive way
Anybody could have gone to their local Catholic priest with a distinctive life. That’s why it’s important for
and said, “I wish to be received into full Communion”. an Ordinariate group to worship regularly using
Those of us who joined the Ordinariate did not do either the Ordinariate rite or music from an Anglican
that.
background.
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