This post is about many friends of mine from the old Episcopal Diocese of Ft. Worth, so this story is particular special to me. Congratuations friends! ~ Fr. Bartus
Joshua Whitfield stands next to Timothy, Spencer and Jody Perkins who along with others entered into full communion with the Catholic Church on Sunday. Photo Credit: Juan Guajardo
On Sunday September 25, 2011 at 2 o'clock in the afternoon at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Fort Worth, I had the privilege of fully innitiating a first wave of former Episcopalians into the Catholic Church. This community, now called St. Peter the Rock, currently meets at the Diocese of Fort Worth Catholic Center and is headed by former Episcopalian priests, Timothy Perkins and Charles Hough. Along with the other lay faithful, Timothy and Charles made their Profession of Faith so that they can join the Anglican Ordinariate when it is erected in the United States. The Anglican Ordinariate, which has already been establish[ed] in both England [and Australia (sic)], will come to the United States at some point in the future. It will be called Anglican, because it is intended for those Christians who trace their identity back to the Church of England (ecclesia anglicana) and Ordinariate for the canonical super structure that will be led by an Ordinary (ordinarius), who will pastor the flock and excercise legal juristiction over this part of the Body of Christ. In the Roman Empire the word ordinarius was attached in a generic way to various political, military, medical and scholarly (among others) positions of leadership.
This historic unfolding follows from the Pastoral Provision, in which a dispensation was given by Blessed Pope John Paul II in 1980 to former Episcopalian priests who sought full communion into the Catholic Church and desired to pursue the Sacrament of Holy Orders. The Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth, since that time, has maintained an ongoing relationship with members of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth to faciliate and enact the pastoral aspects of the Provision. In fact, in a rare move, the Holy See has granted rescripts for two of those priest[s] to hold the canonical title of Pastor, a privilege not normally extended to those priests accepted under the Provision. They currently serve key parishes, one in Fort Worth and another in Keller.
Continue reading at Bishop Vann's blog...
