ragon
THE
P RTAL
February 2019
Page 5
The Ordinariate way
of our patrimony
Snapdragon points the way to our real patrimony
A friend of
mine, once an Anglican priest, now a Catholic, tells the story of
how, as an Anglican, he was at a clergy meeting. A clerical colleague praised him for
running a “Father said” parish; that is to say a parish where Father’s word was law. Little if
any consultation and the PCC did as they were told: that is, if they knew what was good for
them. My friend was hurt and disappointed. It was, you see, intended to be a compliment. It
was how the speaker thought clergy ought to behave. It was how he behaved.
I know that my friend did not run
As a member of the Personal Ordinariate of Our
parish like that. Neither did he run a parish where the Lady of Walsingham, I am attracted by Anglicanorum
opposite was true. A parish where the priest did what coetibus. It brought me into the Catholic Church.
the congregation told him to do.
The formation of the Ordinariates is based upon this
document.
The first sort of parish is prone to ossification.
Nothing happens without the express wish and desire
At its heart is the formula of “priest and people
of the Parish Priest. It is impossible for one person to together”. It was a real step forward for the church.
be in such direct control of more than a small number A step in the battle between clericalism and
of people. Therefore, such parishes seldom grow above congregationalism yes, but also a step forward for
fifty or sixty regular attendees.
ecumenism. Others talk about ecumenism; we in the
Ordinariate have actually done it!
Furthermore, the congregation ceases to do
anything for themselves. They are in fact infantilised.
But the Ordinariate has a real job to do in bringing
Their growth in the faith is stunted and they become gems of the Anglican Church into the Catholic Church.
dependant on the personal will of their parish priest.
The object of my scorn at the beginning of this piece
is not how Anglican Churches are meant to be run.
This is one of the great dangers for the church. It The real Anglican way is “Priest and People together”.
is not confined to the Anglican or Catholic Church. The Ordinariate is not merely a source of clergy for
Many a Protestant body falls into the same trap.
hard-pressed dioceses, nor is it a group of pushy laity
bent on telling clergy how to behave. It is truly priest
There is, of course, the opposite danger. Here the and people together. This is the patrimony we ought to
congregation tells the priest how to behave. This bring into the Catholic Church.
shows itself in the dominance in some places of the
“Liturgical Group”. It often reduces worship to the
Liturgy is important, of course it is. Here we are
lowest common denominator, where it is what is “nice” blessed with Divine Worship and the Customary. But
that is done, rather than what is “right”. Lord, preserve patrimony is not just about liturgy. We need to work
us from “niceness!” This leads to a fashion conscious much harder in following the lead of Anglicanorum
parish where what is the flavour of the day is what coetibus. Here priest and people are seen to be important
happens, again rather than what is right.
together. We have the Governing Council of priests,
but we also have the Pastoral Council of lay people.
I once sat on a PCC where both these dangers fought The former has only clergy members, and the latter
each other for dominance! Each strove for a victory is advisory at present. Maybe one day the Governing
for their “side” rather than seeking the will of God for Council will include laity and the Pastoral Council will
their Parish.
have definitive responsibilities, who knows?
Clericalism or Congregationalism: are these the only
But for now, we need to leave behind the evils of
choices for the church? Does it have to be one or the clericalism and congregationalism and progress
other? A cursory look at churches in our country may forward with priest and people working and taking
lead one to assume that this is the case.
decisions together.