Fr Stephen Smuts

In response to numerous requests, Pope Benedict XVI has established an ordinariate for Anglican groups and clergy across the United States who wish to become Catholic. This is only the second structure like this in the world. The Pope also has named a Houston professor and former Episcopal bishop, Reverend Jeffrey N. Steenson, to lead the ordinariate. The Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter will be based in Houston, Texas. The only other ordinariate is Our Lady of Walsingham, established in January 2011 to serve England and Wales.

WASHINGTON, DC (Catholic Online) – According to the Vatican Press Office (News.va) earlier today the first pontifical act of the New Year is the erection of the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter in the Episcopal Conference of the United States.

It is very rare for the Vatican to make such announcements on a Sunday. One person linked to the Ordinariate with whom I spoke on Thursday noted that, if such an announcement does come on January 1, it will be quite unusual and indicate the high level of importance they are placing on it.

A rough translation of the Act, which was written in Italian follows:

ERECTION OF THE PERSONAL ORDINARIATE OF THE CHAIR OF SAINT PETER AND THE NAMING OF THE FIRST ORDINARY

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, under the norms of the Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum Coetibus, has erected the Personal Ordinariate of The Chair of Saint Peter in the territory of the Episcopal Conference of the United States of America.

At the same time the Holy Father Benedict XVI has appointed the first Ordinary, the Reverend Jeffrey Neil Steenson.

There is much more at Catholic Online here.

Their website is here.

The document of erection of the Ordinariate is here (pdf.).

Thanks be to God!