Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Ordinariate Watch: "Pray your own way, Pope tells Church of England converts," misleading Daily Mail article claims


This article in the Daily Mail is very misleading. Compare what it claims with what the Statement from the General Secretary of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales states. The article is also misleading about the form of governance that will be established for the personal ordinariates as a comparison of the Statement, Anglicanorum Coetius, and the Complementary Norms with the Roman Catholic Church's Code of Canon Law will show. The Daily Mail does a great disservice to the public with such poorly-researched articles. It should publish a retraction and apology to its readers.

Anglican prayers are to be heard in Roman Catholic churches for the first time as part of an offer by the Pope to attract disenchanted Church of England followers.

Catholic leaders today said that breakaway Anglican priests and congregations will be allowed to use their own prayers, hymns and services when they switch loyalty to Rome.

And they will be invited to do so in Roman Catholic churches which will provide a place to worship for the Church of England congregations the Vatican hopes will go over.

The decision means that the venerated English of the 16th century Book of Common Prayer, first written over 450 years ago as part of the protestant rebellion against Rome, will be read in Catholic churches. The Prayer Book - largely rejected by many CofE churches - is highly regarded by many of the conservative Anglicans likely to move to Rome.

To read the full article, click here.

I have reproduced the section of the Statement from the General Secretary of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales on the liturgy that will be used in the Ordinariates.

What liturgy will the members of the Ordinariate celebrate?

The Ordinariate will not be a Ritual Church; that is, the Ordinariate will not be principally defined by the liturgical rites it uses. In addition to the Roman Rite, some of the liturgical rites of the Anglican tradition which have been adapted and approved by the Holy See may be used by the members of the Ordinariate. It is expected that in due course, suitable rituals (Sacramentary, Divine Office, etc.) will be promulgated for Ordinariates across the world. However, as it will be fully a part of the Latin Catholic Church (as distinct from the Byzantine, Maronite, Chaldean Catholic Church, etc.) the Ordinariate will always be able to use the Roman Rite.

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