Having experienced most of the variations of non-catholic Christianity, I have often wondered why Anglo-Catholicism was able to retain so much of the Catholic faith. God does not bless division, but He has clearly blessed the Anglo-Catholic churches in spite of their being divided from the See of Peter. Although I disagree with them, I can understand the thinking of those who say they "don't need" the Ordinariate. Anglo-Catholic spirituality "feels so Catholic" that one may not realize the true nature of the division. In Mass, I can say prayers that would make my Baptist friends cover their ears and run. There are doctrines that I preach about that would cause my Presbyterian friends to look for a rope. Some of the motions and rubrics would make my Pentecostal friends condemn the whole ceremony as "dead ritual". Historic Catholicism is more than these outward details, but these certainly give a noticeable contrast with the majority of Protestantism.
So then, once again, why did God choose to bless the Anglo-Catholics by helping them to retain so much Catholic tradition when the rest of those who are out of communion with Rome rejected so much of it? Yes, we can look to the decisions of our forefathers, and we all should express thanks for the efforts of men like the blessed John Henry Newman. Yet, even their work was only done by the grace of God; in ourselves we are not able to hold on to God's truth. It is the work of the Holy Spirit that brings us this amazing grace. There are many jurisdictions in modern day conservative Anglicanism that have jettisoned the majority of the distinctives of Catholicism. They still view Thomas Cranmer as a saint who was right to follow Henry's rebellion. They have become merely "Protestants with a prayer book" (their words, not mine).
This deeply reverent and traditional liturgy that we, as Anglo-Catholics, celebrate is not retained because of our brilliance. Our ministry to the people of God is not practiced because our clergy are super-holy. We cannot take credit for these things. Being thankful for the work of our forefathers and seeing the blessings on our own efforts does not mean that we did these things by our own strength or wisdom. Scripture tells us that God "hast wrought all our works in us" (Isa 26:12), and that should humble us, "for it is God which worketh in [us] both to will and to do of his good pleasure" (Phil 2:13). Were it not for the grace of God we would not have any of these wonderful treasures of our heritage.
All in all, God has preserved these beautiful aspects of the Catholic tradition in the Anglican Churches, not because of us, but in spite of us. Yes, He preserved them "because of us" in the sense of "for our sakes" but not in the sense of "because we earned it". This is not to beat us down or make us grovel, but rather that we would all the more realize that we are humble recipients of the awesome grace of God. Even while in division from Rome, the Spirit of God was working to keep us who are "separated brethren" faithful to Him. There are surely many reasons for this, but one that stands out is so that there would be a continuing witness to the historic faith within a small portion of those who were out of communion. It is that very witness that not only is there for our Protestant brethren to see, but also for us to be convicted by. We never earn His grace, and yet here we stand: filled with the grace of God and about to enter into that very same grace even more fully.
What an amazing story will be told about these days many generations from now. Many of our names will not be remembered (as we today do not remember all the names of those involved in the controversies of the past), but the work of God will be remembered. We are being taken from one measure of grace unto a greater measure of grace. Whatever the world may say to us, or about us, we can stand firm knowing that He is faithfully bestowing His wondrous grace on us.
When we are experiencing the worries and fears and trials of these difficult days, our hearts need to turn back to what the Lord has done for us in the past, so that we can better trust what He is going to do for us. The world may not understand now, but they will come to see the work of Jesus in us, and some day will recognize that He has poured out His mercy into our lives. Every day in the Noon Office I recite Psalm 126, and it has been especially helpful lately:
When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them. The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad. Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south. They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.
The seeds that we have borne in these days shall become the sheaves of a wonderful harvest; not because we figured out how to make it happen, but rather because "the Lord hath done great things for us". Work for the harvest, but be patient, He tells us. Remember that any tears spilled in the sowing will be joy in the reaping. God is able to do far more than we can ask or think because He is gracious and merciful unto a thousand generations. As the Apostle Peter said to all of us, I say to you again: "Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord" (2 Peter 1:2).
Related posts:
Grace Upon Grace: The Biggest Week YetFamily is FamilyThe Present Importance of Newman's View of AnglicanismTill the Unity of the FaithAnother Week of Grace
I am a priest in the Anglican Church in America (TAC). I have served as pastor in various Protestant congregations, and have pretty much "seen it all". I was born into a family of lapsed Catholics. They had me baptized, but before long they gave up the whole thing altogether and ended up trying out the "new age" movement. When I got to my teen years I stumbled around in various evangelical circles for a while, but when I finally went to seminary (my early twenties), I was a "hard as nails" Baptist. After one pastor got me to start reading the Church Fathers (the best "mistake" a Baptist can ever make), I began to realize that I couldn't find my own personal theology in the Early Church. That really bothered me, because I believed that we should agree with the Church Fathers. I got married to my wonderful wife back in 1990 when we were both Baptists, and she has followed me through this long journey with beautiful patience and love. We currently have five children and homeschool all of them. I've been through a wide section of Protestantism. From Baptist, to reformed Baptist, to Presbyterian, to reformed Presbyterian, to high Church puritan, to Presbyterianglican, to evangelical Anglican, and finally to Anglo-Catholic. I've pastored Baptist churches, Presbyterian churches, and a parish in the Reformed Episcopal Church, and have fifteen years experience in all the best (and worst) of Protestant church life. After all this, I now find it quite ironic that the Lord is calling me back to the faith from which I was "kidnapped" as a child. Back then I did not know what it meant to be Catholic, because I was never taught; but now that I do know, I am committed to returning. I am deeply thankful for the beauties of Anglican spirituality, for it was through it that I found my way back home. 
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