A Catholic Priest: ‘I will avoid the Ordinariate like the plague’
June 3, 2012 17 Comments
Some very harsh words by a Catholic Priest – “in good standing” – so far!
I have decided to sever all connection with the Ordinariate.
Earlier today I had a call from its communication officer threatening to report me to my Archdiocese over comments I made on Father Ray Blake’s blog when I declined to give the names and details of those who had contacted me.
I told him to go ahead and report me. Frankly I do not like being threatened and am too old to allow myself to be bullied. I am now refusing to have anything to do with the Ordinariate until it and the Bishops get their act together on the role and authority of Ordinariate priests in diocesan parishes.
He then comments on his own post:
Thank you to those who have sent comments. I am sure, or at least hopeful , that the Ordinariate will eventually be what the Pope’s holy decision meant it to be, without longstanding lay Catholics being made to feel uncomfortable and unwelcome in their own parish churches. (I know of three such parishes.) However until that time I will avoid it like the plague*. My decision to sever all links with the Ordinariate means I will not comment or publish any comments on anything to do with the Ordinariate. * I may, when I find it less stressful, publish another post on “Why I moved from welcoming and supporting the Ordinariate”
He seems so full of resentment…
Just look at the comments he made on Fr Ray Blake’s blog here, where he claims that a Priest of the Ordinariate has introduced the CofE’s Eucharistic liturgy into a Catholic parish. It’s hard to believe how much opposition is being faced by the Ordinariate pioneers.
About Fr Stephen Smuts
The priest blogger in question is a very good priest and was a great supporter of the Ordinariate. Just ask the group in Deal!
What he says is true. I have had correspondence with a senior Ordinariate priest who informed me of one such case.
EP Pastor Emeritus is not full of resentment. More of disappointment. He may sever all connection with the Ordinariate but he would not hinder it in any way and from what I know of him, he would help out if asked without hesitation whatsoever.
I don’t think you know him personally so your post is unfair and casts spurious doubts around about a good Catholic priest. Rather than imagining someone is so full of resentment, perhaps you should check your facts first before pressing the publish button.
I know (or at least, knew) EF Pastor Emeritus. For several years, I was a member of the parish where he used to serve. He is, as you say, a very good priest indeed.
I do not know the facts of this particular case, and I find the allegations he makes astonishing. I do not have any reason to believe that Fr Whelan is being duplicitous, but I am wondering whether he has been misinformed. I do, however, think that he may have gone about things in a less than felicitous way.
IF a “senior Ordinariate priest” – or any priest, Ordinariate or otherwise – is using a form of sacramental service which does not have the blessing of the Holy See, then the first port of call must be to that priest’s ordinary. If the ordinary does not act, then the complaint must be taken to the nuncio. If a solution is still not forthcoming, then is the time for public opprobium – and it needs to be clear, concise, and frank. If the allegations are true, then the priest is making a grave mistake, and needs to be corrected urgently. Public castigation of an unnamed priest does not help. All it does it to raise ire and make the resolution that little bit messier.
I do however believe that “resentment” is the wrong choice of word.
I repeat: His words are ‘very harsh’. Yes, I don’t know him from Adam. But equating the Ordinariate with the ‘plague’ is simply unacceptable. The words published are his. My opinion, again: ‘they are very harsh’ and lead me to believe i.e. interpret that they are coming from one who is full of resentment.
And this is not the first time he has come out judgmentally against the Ordinariate on the web.
And it appears our friend “Henri” knows much more than this “old” (as he calls himself) Roman priest. From Fr. Ray’s blog…Henri said…
‘I think what is called the “Ordinariate Mass” might be the Eucharistic Rite contained in the Customary of Our Lady of Walsingham, the proper liturgical book of the ordinaroate, to be issued on June 30th: http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Customary-Our-Lady-Walsingham-Andrew-Burnham..’
But ya knew this kind of thing was coming from “zealous traditionalists”, and we will see more!
I am a Roman Catholic who would like to see a return to Sacred Tradition, which is what I see in Anglo-Catholic practice. I am frankly ashamed of the sort of ignorance and lack of charity some “traditionalists” are exhibiting. While freedom of religion does not mean “permission to err”, not every form of worship outside the Roman Liturgy is erroneous.
See, I also sense a lack obedience to the Holy Father with regards to some of these priests and probably some of the bishops. I am not surprised, and neither is the Holy Father that even in his own administration, there are wolves in sheep(herder)’s clothing.
I will pray for the Ordinariate, that they are not overcome by those deceived or ensnared by humanity’s ancient Enemy.
Indeed we should all want and love a true “Biblical Tradition”! I think I am myself as a conservative and I hope something of a broad minded Evangelical Anglican, seeking that “Catholic” spirit! Btw, here I have been enjoying of late that great man and mind of Karl Barth, with his friendship and theological colleague Von Balthasar. See the Welsh Methodist, Rev’d Dr. Stephen Wigley’s book (2007), ‘Karl Barth and Hans Urs von Balthasar, A Critical Engagement.’ We could learn a lot from these two men, one Protestant and the one Catholic! Their’s was no Brief Encounter, but friendship and theology. Barth affected VB’s theology, i.e. VB’s analogia entis or analogy of being. (The analogy of being as crucial to all theology!)
Also btw, the word “Catholic” as describing the spirit and tradition of the ancient and undivided Church, the Church of the Councils, etc. is the sense in which most Anglicans and Orthodox understand it, at least the British Church or Anglicanism. Roman Catholics need to understand this I believe.
EF reminds me of Victor Meldrew. Lots of noise but no substance. If he has a legitimate claim then he MUST tell the Ordinary rather than put it on a blog. Looks like he has no real evidence to support his accusations – very sad for an old man!
Fr Stephen, if the Ordinariate priest is introducing ao Ordinariate Liturgy as the main celebration in a parish which is overwhelmingly non-Ordinariate, then he is in the wrong and you are pointing the finger at the wrong priest. I trust the Ordinary will sort it out.
Pastor Emeritus is simply reporting what members of the congregation have told him. If they have it wrong, then the OLW priest should be clearer in what he says.
This not the sort of opposition you are describing and the idea that pioneers are facing a lot of descrimination is plainly incorrect. We need to be less over-sensitive and more reflective.
Fr Stephen, if the Ordinariate priest is introducing an Ordinariate Liturgy as the main celebration in a parish which is overwhelmingly non-Ordinariate, then he is in the wrong and you are pointing the finger at the wrong priest. I trust the Ordinary will sort it out.
Pastor Emeritus is simply reporting what members of the congregation have told him. If they have it wrong, then the OLW priest should be clearer in what he says.
This not the sort of opposition you are describing and the idea that pioneers are facing a lot of descrimination is plainly incorrect. We need to be less over-sensitive and more reflective.
1. Ordinariate priests are subject to the jurisdiction of the Ordinary insofar as the care of souls in a Ordinariate Group are concerned and to the jurisdiction of the territorial diocesan where the care of souls in a diocesan parish are concerned.
2. Most of the many Ordinariate Groups are hosted in diocesan parishes and there are numbers of parishes where an Ordiariate priest also holds a diocesan appointment as priest in charge (there is apparently some canonical impediment to a married priest ever being appointed as parish priest – but I may be wrong about this). Others are appointed as assistant priests in churches where there is already a parish priest.
3. All Ordinariate priests are priests of the Roman rite. They may therefore celebrate any form of Holy Mass authorised for use by priest of that rite. In addition they are authorised at present to use one rite of the Book of Divine Worship originally developed for use by priests of the Pastoral Provision in the USA (and indeed by Bishops in the USA and Canada) but it is my understanding that this is an interim arrangement which may be superseded when the Customary is published because it too will contain an interm rite for Holy Mass. All of these forms of Holy Mass are Roman Rite Masses every bit as sacramentally valid as any Mass Father Whelan has celebrated since his ordination.
4. Where a particular church serves both a diocesan parish and an ordinariate group, it is usual for one or more masses to be designated “Ordinariate Masses”. This does not necessarily mean that the liturgy will be any different – merely that it will be celebrated primarily for the ordinariate group – although it may be much less likely to be of the “folk music” variety.
5. In this day and age where priests are often expected to say masses in different churches to meet the needs of the faithful as best as can be managed with the available manpower, the timings and indeed particular form of mass are a matter of concern and these matters are generally co-ordinated at parish, deanery and area bishop level. As often as not the Ordinariate Group gets the Saturday vigil slot or a Sunday pm slot.
6. Therefore, were it to be true that an Ordinariate priest (and it seems to be that this would have had to be a priest in charge of a diocesan parish) were making changes which had not been the subject of consultation with those concerned with such matters, then that would be serious.
7. Either there was something in the complaint which required investigation or there was not. I am not in the least surprised that someone from the Ordiariate called him up for that very reason and asked for particulars It now appears from the latest post that Fr Whelan has refused to co-operate. He says:-
“I am now refusing to have anything to do with the Ordinariate until it and the Bishops get their act together on the role and authority of Ordinariate priests in diocesan parishes.”
8. As it happens the Complementary Norms set out with some precision the relationship between the Ordinariate and the territorial diocesans. An Ordinariate priest given a diocesan appointment is every bit as answerable to that diocesan as would be a priest incardinated in another diocese and loaned out. That diocesan may wish to know whether there is in fact anything going on which requires intervention.
9. Fr Whelan’s own diocesan may also want to know why a priest of his diocese is posting in a manner likely to bring fellow Catholic Priests into disrepute. Mind you, these days there may be more latitude in that regard than there was under the late Archbishop Amigo.
So it is all a misunderstanding? Granted, everyone has to be clear on who’s in charge of who and that everyone understands what they’re supposed to do, hopefully. Another interpretation of what the priest said is a result of the headache of having to figure out as to what is happening and supposed to be happening in the Ordinariate, and that he doesn’t want to get involved unless everything is clarified by the Bishops and the Ordinary. Putting it that way makes the priest less antagonistic and just really confused.
Indeed ignorance leads to confusion, but as we used to say in the military, always check the cain-of-command! And indeed the RCC has a hierarchy, and no doubt this priest should use it!
*chain
As an Ordinariate priest I find this whole thing rather sad. We are simply wanting to enter into communion with Peter and be faithful to HIS vision (not ours). The truth is many of us would have had a much smoother ride simply crossing into the mainstream and leaving all our patrimony behind but that is not what the Vatican has asked of us.
That said there is no C of E rite that we bring. Where I am I use ONLY the new translation and the patrimony is to be found in the ceremonial and music above all else. I have also bent over backwards to accomodate those already here and offer a Sunday mass with reduced ceremonial to reflect that.
Perhaps it would help if people searched for the good news and not the bad….I would have thought an influx of new Catholics, lots of new priests, a new expression of unity etc might have been cause for rejoicing.
I am baffled, why not just go with Rome then and forget any “Anglican Patrimony”? Since I myself am one of those who went to Anglicanism from Rome, of course many years ago now. I find it a great loss to diminish the so-called CoE, and of course I am speaking of her better history! This kind of so-called Ordinariate, which says, “The truth is many of us would have had a much smoother ride simply crossing into the mainstream and leaving all our patrimony behind but that is not what the Vatican has asked of us.” The reason is, this is an ecumenical happenning and desire that the Vatican can itself remember, and many Anglo-Catholics that are in the ground (asleep in Jesus) sought this day, also! Indeed, one must always remember where one has come from!
Hello – An Ordinariate Mass is being held at St John Payne Catholic Church in Colchester at 4.00pm on Sunday afternoons by the Priest in Charge – Father Jon Ravendale ex C of E Walthamstow. This Ordinariate Mass is extra to the other regular services. There is a general level of unease among the parish about this whole Ordinariate arrangement and the way that it has been pushed by Rome and people seem to be voting with their feet. – All the best – an ordinary sinner from the cheap pews.