Another Word about Preparing

Remembering that the readership of this blog is international, I’ll ask forgiveness for another post having to do particularly with the future Ordinariate in the United States. The subject here is the catechetical preparation of the laity.

One of the many marks of genius in Anglicanorum coetibus is the importance it gives to the place of those communities and parishes coming in from Anglicanism. It's not just about the clergy! As we all know, the very name of the document means “groups of Anglicans.” Not to state the obvious (but I will), these groups are comprised of individuals, each of whom will need to make a profession of faith. To make such a profession necessitates a program of Catholic catechetics, and one of the tasks of the Anglican clergy presently responsible for a group of Ordinariate-bound people is to teach them the fulness of the Catholic faith.

I don’t think there’s a single incoming community or parish where this isn’t taking place in some form already, but the expressed preference for the catechetical material to be used in America is the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults. Many places are using this, but I thought it might be good to state the expectation so there will be conformity in the preparations being made.

The United States Catholic Catechism for Adults is a publication of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and it states this on the website:

The presence of the Catholic Church in the United States reaches back to the founding days of our country through the leadership of Archbishop John Carroll, the first Catholic bishop in the United States. His story, like other stories at the start of the chapters in the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, gives us a glimpse into the lives of Catholics who lived out their faith throughout our country's history. Each chapter in the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults includes stories, doctrine, reflections, quotations, discussion questions, and prayers to lead the reader to a deepening faith. The United States Catholic Catechism for Adults is an excellent resource for preparation of catechumens in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults and for ongoing catechesis of adults.

You can purchase copies through the USCCB website, and there is a 50% discount for ten or more copies (which is a good thing, since the full price is a hefty $24.95). Also, you can find individual copies on Amazon.com, and that’s probably the best place to go for fewer than ten copies, since their price reflects the discount already. Additionally on Amazon.com, there are used copies available for as little as four or five dollars each.

In my earlier post, To Those Preparing, I mentioned some of the things that can be done during this time leading up to the formal establishment of the Ordinariate. The catechizing of the laity is one of the truly essential responsibilities for those of you who are pastors of souls.

I’ve heard from lots of you about the preparations you’re making with your congregations, and from all I hear, our Ordinariate congregations will be amongst the best-catechized in the Church!

Related posts:

To Those PreparingSome Thoughts on Cardinal Wuerl's CNA InterviewPreparing for the Canadian OrdinariateSpreading The WordWord Just Keeps Spreading Fr. Christopher G. Phillips is the pastor of Our Lady of the Atonement Catholic Church in San Antonio, Texas, where he has served for the past twenty-eight years. He is the founding pastor of the first Anglican Use parish, erected in 1983 under the terms of the Pastoral Provision. Fr. Phillips was ordained as an Anglican for the Diocese of Bristol, England, in 1975. After serving as Curate for three years at St. Stephen Southmead, he returned to the United States and served in two Episcopal parishes in the Diocese of Rhode Island. In 1981 he left the Episcopal Church and moved with his family to Texas, where he was subsequently ordained as a Catholic priest in 1983. Fr. Phillips and his wife, JoAnn, have been married for forty years. They have five children, all grown and married, and two grandchildren.

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To Those Preparing

Things have been pretty quiet on the blog of late. It’s not because nothing is happening. In fact, quite the opposite – at least here in the United States, where it appears that an Ordinariate will be established next.

Things are fairly calm because everything seems to be falling in place. Cardinal Wuerl has delivered his final report to the Bishops’ Conference. The priestly formation program is ready to go. The dossiers are being examined. The Curial officials will be returning soon from their summer break. Liturgical considerations are in hand. Things are stirring.

We might consider this time to be rather like those hushed moments before the dawn.

I know we’re at the stage when every day seems like a month. It was like that a generation ago, when we were waiting for the implementation of the Pastoral Provision in this country. The very same pattern prevailed: daily calls to someone – anyone – who might have information; scanning the newspapers (those were pre-internet days) for any word. And then… a period of quiet and calm, just before we realized that it was actually happening.

We continue to rejoice with those in the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham, as they build upon the foundation of what has been accomplished there. At this moment, I have no further word about developments in Canada, Australia, or anyplace else where Ordinariates might be formed. But here, in the United States, we’re getting close.

So… courage, brethren! Enjoy the stillness of the moment, and know that unseen work is being done. Continue to deepen your knowledge of the faith. Persist in prayer, for that is a great source of strength for you. I know you’re growing impatient with being told to be patient, but… be patient, too. The wait is getting shorter. There will be lots of work to do when the Ordinariate is up and running, and now’s the time to get yourself in shape spiritually for the demanding time ahead of us.

Every morning when I unlock the church, I stop by our shrine to Blessed John Henry Newman, where I pray for all who are preparing to enter the Ordinariate. May the Light he knew and loved – and even now in which he rejoices – lead you on.

Related posts:

Preparing for the Canadian OrdinariateCathedral of the Incarnation Votes on Apostolic ConstitutionThirty Pieces of SilverA Change in ToneAll Quiet on the Western Front Fr. Christopher G. Phillips is the pastor of Our Lady of the Atonement Catholic Church in San Antonio, Texas, where he has served for the past twenty-eight years. He is the founding pastor of the first Anglican Use parish, erected in 1983 under the terms of the Pastoral Provision. Fr. Phillips was ordained as an Anglican for the Diocese of Bristol, England, in 1975. After serving as Curate for three years at St. Stephen Southmead, he returned to the United States and served in two Episcopal parishes in the Diocese of Rhode Island. In 1981 he left the Episcopal Church and moved with his family to Texas, where he was subsequently ordained as a Catholic priest in 1983. Fr. Phillips and his wife, JoAnn, have been married for forty years. They have five children, all grown and married, and two grandchildren.

View the original article here