Light On Dark Water

Thanksgiving in Christmastide

To thee, O Christ, O Word of the Father, we offer up our lowly praises and unfeigned hearty thanks: Who for love of our fallen race didst most wonderfully and humbly choose to be made man, as never to be unmade more; and to take our nature as never more to lay it off; so that we might be born again by thy Spirit and restored in the image of God; to whom, one blessed Trinity, be ascribed all honour, might, majesty, and dominion, now and for ever. Amen

From St. Gregory's Prayer Book, published jointly by the several Ordinariates–the Chair of St. Peter (U.S. and Canada), Our Lady of Walsingham (England and Wales), Our Lady of the Southern Cross (Australia).

I was wondering whether Southern Cross included New Zealand, so I checked Wikipedia. It does not, I assume because there are no Anglicans, or not enough of them, in New Zealand who are interested. But I found to my surprise and delight that there are two congregations in Japan:

The ordinariate has also begun to form in Japan, where it has presently two congregations. In February 2015, a congregation of the Traditional Anglican Church of Japan was received as the Ordinariate Community of St Augustine of Canterbury in Tokyo, the first ordinariate community in Asia. In June 2016, another priest was ordained for the Ordinariate Community of St Laurence of Canterbury in Hiroshima.

A month or two ago, or whenever it was that Pope Francis clamped down on the Tridentine Mass, I read somewhere someone's speculation that the pope's real goal is to bring those who want a more beautiful and reverent liturgy into the Novus Ordo parishes where they will improve the liturgy. That sounds pretty far-fetched to me, for several reasons, but let's hope it's true. Or maybe not, because the same logic would recommend shutting down the Ordinariates. When they were established, someone reasonably knowledgeable told me that it would be extremely difficult for a future pope to dismantle them. I hope that's true. 

Maclin Horton

4 responses to “Thanksgiving in Christmastide”

  1. Don

    I don’t see how it can be difficult for a pope to dismantle anything – it’s not like there are limits on his power.
    That said, I think the success of the Ordinariates depends on their lack of success. If they grow too much, they’ll be shut down. It would probably take explosive growth to draw that kind of attention. I get the feeling that those involved aren’t interested in making trouble like the trads do.

    Reply
  2. Mac

    It had to do with the nature of an “apostolic constitution,” which is what Anglicanorum Coetibus is. Not that it would be impossible, but it would be a much bigger deal than, for instance, Francis reversing Benedict on the Tridentine Mass.
    “If they grow too much….” For now there is absolutely no reason to fear that. You’re right, too, that those involved aren’t for the most part interested in making trouble. They may grumble, but they don’t tend to thunder.

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  3. Don

    I think the biggest danger to them is that trads will seek out ordinariate Masses if the TLM is suppressed. I don’t quite consider myself a trad (though I do attend the TLM whenever possible – which is 95% of the time for now), but I would certainly look for an ordinariate Mass if the Latin Mass were unavailable. There aren’t any near me, so I would probably go to a localk Ukrainian Catholic parish.
    When the pope issued his motu proprio in July I considered going to a local SSPX parish if necessary, but after interacting with someone from there online, I don’t think that’s an option.

    Reply
  4. Mac

    There already are trads attending Ordinariate Masses regularly. There were a couple at ours.
    I’m sure you’re wise to avoid the SSPX.

    Reply

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