RCIA or personal ordinariate

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Hello brothers and sisters in Christ!

I used to be part of the Episcopal Church. Last September I entered RCIA because I didn’t like how liberal the Episcopalian Church has gotten.

Recenty I’ve learned that I have to give up the liturgical traditions and prayers of my Anglican heritage.

However recently I’ve learned about these personal ordinariates that allow Anglicans and some high church lutherans to join the Catholic Church while keeping their liturgical traditions intact.

My question is should I continue with my faith journey in RCIA and join the Catholic Church or should I join a parish that has come home to Rome through the personal ordinarite that allows me to keep using the traditions that I cherish from the Anglican Church?
 
my best advice, since I have had two candidates in your situation, yet there is no parish nearby that would fit this description, is to continue progress and join the Church as you are now doing, and then look for a parish that has gone this route and retains the Anglican usage. This is definitely a question you should bring up now with the priest preparing you for confirmation (not any of they lay people involved) and he may have to consult a canon law expert since this is a relatively new “option.”
 
puzzleannie said:
my best advice, since I have had two candidates in your situation, yet there is no parish nearby that would fit this description, is to continue progress and join the Church as you are now doing, and then look for a parish that has gone this route and retains the Anglican usage. This is definitely a question you should bring up now with the priest preparing you for confirmation (not any of they lay people involved) and he may have to consult a canon law expert since this is a relatively new “option.”
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I’d really prefer to go to an Anglican parish that has switched to Rome and uses the Book of Divine Worship as it keeps our Book of Common Prayer somewhat intact.
 
As a episcopal/anglican that has done the same thing I recommend going through RCIA. You still would need to be confirmed catholic to recieve at Anglican Use parishes. So the simplest way would be to finish RCIA as you have been and then look into them.

Though that wouldn’t be to say that you shouldn’t go to Sunday mass there! Feel free to visit them and maybe even talk to their priests about RCIA and see if you can switch over.

But either way before you can recieve you still need to be confirmed in the Catholic faith, so its not like its a easier rode to go to their churches. Its still Catholic 🙂
 
mitex said:
I’d really prefer to go to an Anglican parish that has switched to Rome and uses the Book of Divine Worship as it keeps our Book of Common Prayer somewhat intact.
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Also as a side note, if you were in a liberal episcopal church, Anglican Use parishes might be more of a different experience than normal Catholic masses. Anglican Use parishes use much more of a traditional AngloCatholic mass, with the priests facing the alter and backs to the crowd, and the church being oriented East. Its basically a old latin mass translated to English. Nowadays Episcopal churches do services much more like today’s common mass. 🙂
 
mitex said:
Hello brothers and sisters in Christ!

I used to be part of the Episcopal Church. Last September I entered RCIA because I didn’t like how liberal the Episcopalian Church has gotten.

Recenty I’ve learned that I have to give up the liturgical traditions and prayers of my Anglican heritage.

However recently I’ve learned about these personal ordinariates that allow Anglicans and some high church lutherans to join the Catholic Church while keeping their liturgical traditions intact.

My question is should I continue with my faith journey in RCIA and join the Catholic Church or should I join a parish that has come home to Rome through the personal ordinarite that allows me to keep using the traditions that I cherish from the Anglican Church?
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Remember that with either option, you will still be fully Catholic!

In your case, you have a choice–assuming that there is an Anglican Use Catholic parish near you, or might be in the near future. That’s the big question. You’ve already expressed at least twice that you want to stay with the Anglican liturgical practices; that’s one of the primary reasons behind the Ordinariates (only one in each of the UK and US).

If there is an Anglican Catholic parish near you, you might want to explore it. And given that you’ve already expressed your own preference, you probably should at least explore it. If there is not one, then there isn’t really an option for you to join it, so it’s a non-issue. Once you become Catholic by completing RCIA at your local parish, you can still petition to join the Ordinariate as an individual, although this won’t have much practical purpose. If a parish does later appear, you will still be able to join it.

Just a note though, the Ordinariate are NOT setup for former Lutherans. I don’t know where this idea comes from but it’s a complete fabrication. The Ordinariates are for former Anglicans and their families.
 
mitex said:
I’d really prefer to go to an Anglican parish that has switched to Rome and uses the Book of Divine Worship as it keeps our Book of Common Prayer somewhat intact.
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Do you have such a parish in your area? That will determine whether this is an option for you.

There’s a list in this Wikipedia article. I don’t know how complete it is or how many other parishes may be considering joining. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglican_Use#Personal_ordinariates
 
FrDavid96 said:
Remember that with either option, you will still be fully Catholic!

In your case, you have a choice–assuming that there is an Anglican Use Catholic parish near you, or might be in the near future. That’s the big question. You’ve already expressed at least twice that you want to stay with the Anglican liturgical practices; that’s one of the primary reasons behind the Ordinariates (only one in each of the UK and US).

If there is an Anglican Catholic parish near you, you might want to explore it. And given that you’ve already expressed your own preference, you probably should at least explore it. If there is not one, then there isn’t really an option for you to join it, so it’s a non-issue. Once you become Catholic by completing RCIA at your local parish, you can still petition to join the Ordinariate as an individual, although this won’t have much practical purpose. If a parish does later appear, you will still be able to join it.

Just a note though, the Ordinariate are NOT setup for former Lutherans. I don’t know where this idea comes from but it’s a complete fabrication. The Ordinariates are for former Anglicans and their families.
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The Anglo-Lutheran Catholic Church
 
mitex said:
Yes there is about an hour from me!
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That could be taken either way. You might mean that an hour is too much or you might mean that an hour is no problem. Which is it?

Either way, consider going for a visit—maybe attend Mass on Sunday; then take things from there. You don’t have to make this decision right now–although since Lent is approaching you do need to keep the calendar in mind.

I wish you the best.
 
mitex said:
Yes there is about an hour from me!
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And would that be acceptable to you?

Speaking only for myself, I like belonging to a parish that is close to home. I not only attend Mass there on Sundays but am also involved in various parish activities. I’m normally there several times a week, plus events such as days of reflection, special liturgies or prayer services, etc. I doubt that I would attend much – especially evening activities – if I knew I would be driving two hours to get there and back.

This is someplace where you need to discern what is best. Your local parish may be more convenient while an Anglican ordinariate parish may be more fulfilling.
 
SuscipeMeDomine said:
And would that be acceptable to you?

Speaking only for myself, I like belonging to a parish that is close to home. I not only attend Mass there on Sundays but am also involved in various parish activities. I’m normally there several times a week, plus events such as days of reflection, special liturgies or prayer services, etc. I doubt that I would attend much – especially evening activities – if I knew I would be driving two hours to get there and back.

This is someplace where you need to discern what is best. Your local parish may be more convenient while an Anglican ordinariate parish may be more fulfilling.
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It’s in Scranton. Seeing how I commute up there for school three times a week it shouldn’t be a problem.
 
At this point, if you have been going through RCIA, I would continue. We are quite close to Lent and thus Easter as well. If you come into the Church you can always transfer to an Anglican use parish later on if it works out for you. What you are learning now from a doctrinal standpoint is going to be the same regardless. Remember, the Anglican use and the Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter falls under the Latin Rite and is not its own thing.

Since you asked for opinions, I would stay where you are until you are confirmed in the Church and have finished the Mystagogy period. I would not let a preference for liturgy hold me back from the Bride of Christ and receiving the sacraments.

God Bless,
 
mitex said:
It’s in Scranton. Seeing how I commute up there for school three times a week it shouldn’t be a problem.
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I guess you are talking about the Thomas More Society, that worships at St. Clare Church. If you haven’t contacted Fr. Bergman yet, his phone number and email address are on the Society web page here.

I would talk to him before I stopped going to RCIA, if I were you. I think it does make some sense to be received into the Church where you are going to attend church, but be sure to thank the people in your current RCIA program and let them know where you’re disappearing to.

(I’m not familiar with the Thomas More Society myself, but I found it on a map of prospective Anglo Catholic parishes and missions here).
 
mitex said:
I’d really prefer to go to an Anglican parish that has switched to Rome and uses the Book of Divine Worship as it keeps our Book of Common Prayer somewhat intact.
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as I asked, is there one in your area
have you contacted their pastor?
you are simply speculating until you do that
are you prepared to travel an hour one way each week for RCIA, and then for worship?
I only point out we are only a few weeks to Easter, would changing mean starting over? That is why I recommend you stick it out where you are then investigate changing parishes.

Plus unless you already have a reason to travel there, as it becomes harder, it increases the chance that you will cease participating in parish life and worship after confirmation.
 
I think I’ll just stick it out in regular RCIA for the next couple months and go to Thomas Moore after I get confirmed.
 
mitex said:
I think I’ll just stick it out in regular RCIA for the next couple months and go to Thomas Moore after I get confirmed.
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I think that is the most prudent choice. You can always start attending elsewhere when you are in the area after that. It kind of stinks having to leave the parish you were confirmed in right away, but sometimes that is the way it goes.

Peace,
 
mitex said:
It’s in Scranton. Seeing how I commute up there for school three times a week it shouldn’t be a problem.
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That sounds like Fr. Eric Bergman’s parish. I think there might be another parish entering in PA.

Fr. Bergman is a lovely priest and I believe he recently had his 6th child. I met him and his wife at a conference last Summer. He is very easy to talk to.

God Bless

Bernadette
 
mitex said:
I think I’ll just stick it out in regular RCIA for the next couple months and go to Thomas Moore after I get confirmed.
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Fr Steenson just released a pastoral letter. You can read it on the Ordinariate website.

Stay in your parish and get confirmed. While waiting, send a letter to Fr Steenson, there is an example on the website, stating your desire to be in the Ordinariate. You will be approved and they will help you find a parish or like minded Catholic-Anglicans or Catholics who like the AU Mass. They are creating a database of those interested in the Ordinariate to include Latin Catholics.

Attend the parish in Scanton when you can to support them and to experience an AU Mass. This will also help you connect with others in your situation.

Welcome home.

Mark
 
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