The Ordinariate Missal assessed

Fr. Hunwicke with his always useful analysis adds the following note on Anglican Patrimony as expressed in the "Francis I Missal."

Fr Hunwicke . . . .

Rubrical Directory Paragraph 3: the "Anglican liturgical Patrimony, understood as that which has nourished the Catholic Faith through the history of the Anglican tradition and prompted aspirations towards ecclesial unity". In the introductory decree signed by Cardinal Sarah, there is a reference to "Anglican Missals" and the words "Therefore wishing that the fruits of the labours of pastors, religious, and lay faithful of years past may remain ever abundant in the Church ...".

How ecumenical and reassuring to find the Magisterium accepting that, in separation, we did have the Catholic Faith. How understanding to have the years and culture of "The English Missal" (and other such volumes), as it were, validated.

Above all, notice the significance of the term "remain" and the implication that Anglican "pastors" are to be distinguished from "lay faithful". I personally appreciate the sense expressed here of a continuity between our years in the Anglican Communion, and our present status within the Catholic Church.

As well as textually, our Missal is theologically a highly significant ecumenical advance; it is interesting that a CDF official without any "Anglican Previous" so immersed himself in our culture, our ways of thinking, our self understanding, that he was able to secure ... I nearly said, "get away with" ... such an achievement. Again, three and more cheers for Bishop Elect Lopes.

There surely must be Anglicans out there, teetering on the brink, who will be moved to enter into Full Communion by this demonstration of the theological, historical, cultural authenticity of the Ordinariate Enterprise ... the corporate reception into Catholic wholeness of Anglicanism ... Cardinal Mercier's old dream at the Malines Conversations of a Church of England United and Not Absorbed ... the triumphant conclusion of the ARCIC process ... the "Corporate healing of a Corporate Schism" for which the papalists of the Fr Fynes Clinton and Fr Hope Patten era so hoped.

Dear Pope Benedict set all this in place by providing that the Ordinariates should not be subject to local Latin hierarchies but directly to the Roman Pontiff; that the terna for a new Ordinary should be sent to Rome by the Council of Priests rather than by a Nuncio who might have been influenced by local Latin bishops. Now comes the Missal, the Icing on the Cake, the great public symbol that we are in Communion with, but not absorbed by, the Diocesan Churches.

What more could anybody ask for?