First Anglican Ordinariate Bishop Ordained: ‘It Means We’re Here to Stay’

National Catholic Register ^ | February 4, 2016 | KATHLEEN NAAB

[NYer]

HOUSTON — In a majestic Mass at Houston’s Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart on Tuesday evening, history was made for the Anglican ordinariates established by Pope Benedict XVI: Their first bishop was ordained.

“In a nutshell, it means we’re here to stay,” summarized Msgr. Harry Entwistle, the ordinary of Australia’s ordinariate, which is under the patroness of Our Lady of the Southern Cross.

The new bishop, Stephen Joseph Lopes, 40, a native of California, was in fact instrumental in the creation of the ordinariate that he now leads — the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter.

The ordinariates were established as the Vatican’s pastoral response to repeated and persistent inquiries made by Anglican individuals and groups who desired full communion with the Catholic Church, in a history that goes back to at least Pope Pius XII.

In November 2009, in response to these inquiries from Anglican groups worldwide, Pope Benedict XVI issued an apostolic constitution, Anglicanorum Coetibus. This document authorized the creation of “ordinariates” — communities that would be fully Catholic yet retain elements of Anglican heritage and liturgical practice. 

So far, there are three ordinariates globally: The first was established in the United Kingdom (the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham) in 2011. The following year, an ordinariate was established here in the United States, with jurisdiction also including Canada, and another in Australia. 

[iowamark]

The “Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter” was created in 2012 to cover the US and Canada. It currently has 42 parishes and communities. It is fully Catholic but uses Anglican type liturgies.

Their former leader was Monsignor Jeffrey Steenson, a former Anglican Bishop. The consecration of Bishop Lopes is significant in that he is the first bishop to lead this group.

http://ordinariate.net/documents/2015/11/Fast_Facts_Ordinariate.FINAL.pdf