THE P RTAL
January 2017 Page 8
challenges . It is still often necessary to explain our existence and why there should be such a thing as an Ordinariate rather than former Anglicans just being absorbed into the wider Catholic Church as sugar might be dissolved in tea . Now we must look forward and plan for the future , being confident that we have a unique and significant role to play .
a gift of Christ
Recently Pope Francis spoke to the plenary meeting of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity . During the course of his speech on Ecumenism , he made reference to three false models which do not lead to the unity for which Our Lord prayed but rather work against it .
He said that unity is not the result of our human effort but a gift of Christ . Unity is not uniformity ; rather different theological , liturgical and spiritual traditions , when rooted in the apostolic tradition and not contrary to Catholic teaching , are an asset not a threat .
Finally , he said that unity is not absorption . It is not about trying to recreate something from the past ; it does not deny our own story of faith but rather contributes to the whole so nothing of value is lost . Given what he said , the Ordinariate must be an expression of authentic rather than false ecumenism . We should be encouraged by his words to ensure the Ordinariates are a concrete expression of genuine unity in the west .
This is important at a time when most ecumenism has boiled down to a working out of the ‘ Lund Principle ’ of 1952 that Churches and Ecclesial communities should act together in all matters except those in which deep differences of conviction compel them to act separately .
Working to eradicate modern day slavery is a good example . As laudable as that is , I don ’ t think it is the vision of the Decree on Ecumenism of the Second Vatican Council nor , more importantly , the fulfilment of our Lord ’ s prayer on the night before he died that his disciples might all be one .
realised ecumenism
The Ordinariates have been described as ‘ realised ecumenism ’. If that is true we have a very important witness to make , not just to the Catholic Church but also to the larger Christian community , to show this is actually possible , that we can be united and not absorbed .
We already have the witness of this diversity in the Eastern Churches in communion with the Holy See ,
but we are the first to bring liturgical and pastoral traditions plus other aspects of what is called our patrimony which has come out of the times of the Reformation in England .
to enrich the Catholic Church
Anglicanism has preserved something unique in liturgy , language , poetry , hymnody and pastoral practice which can enrich the Catholic Church in these lands .
This means , of course , that we all have to explore how that distinctiveness can be fostered and nurtured within our congregations so that others within the Catholic Church can see there is something valuable to be preserved .
a deep well
Our new Missal using the Prayer Book Collects and other aspect of the Anglican liturgical tradition is an important contribution . I am delighted that many groups are beginning to use it either on Sundays or on occasions in the week . I am well aware that some have found this unfamiliar , having used modern forms of worship in recent years , but my experience is that in using it regularly you will find a deep well from which to drink .
There are also other liturgical and quasi-liturgical services like Evensong and Benediction , Advent and Epiphany Carol Services , not to mention Harvest Thanksgiving and Remembrance Sunday commemorations . Of course , the words of the liturgy are not the only part of our patrimony we have to offer .
music and hymnody
There is the use of good music and hymnody , of collaboration between laity and clergy in the work of administration , finance and mission , and there is the passion for the evangelisation of all the people of these islands , especially those who have not heard the Good News of Jesus Christ .
fulfilling the mission
The Ordinariates are in their very early years and we still have to explore together the best and most effective ways to fulfil the mission which has been given to us . But we must be very clear that maintaining our particular distinctiveness is essential , while at the same time collaborating with the wider Catholic Church .
The diversity of the Catholic Church is much greater than many realise and we have an important contribution to make to that diversity as we work with all our Catholic brothers and sisters is proclaiming and witnessing to Christ in our generation .