Full Circle

Perhaps the best part of Anglicanorum Coetibus is that it recognizes and values the congregational family we come from.  While many of my brother priests lead their congregations into the Catholic Church, I stepped out on my own and left my Episcopal parish, which was far from Anglo Catholic. Imagine my surprise when three members of my former Episcopal parish contacted me to find out more about the Catholic Church!

Six months of discernment was followed by a few months of intense catechesis even though we are 200 miles apart from each other.  It all culminated with them being received into the Catholic Church via the Ordinariate last Friday on the Exultation of the Holy Cross.  Thanks be to God!

I used to be their priest in the Episcopal Church, now I am their priest in the Catholic Church.  Funny how life comes full circle so often!  I pray that this experience will be common to all of my brother Ordinariate priests.