When the Vatican recently announced the reception of Anglican communities into the Catholic Church it was a dream come true not only for Anglo-Catholics seeking their own pastoral provision, but also for many Roman Catholics with Anglican backgrounds. Over the last thirty years there has been a quiet but steady trickle of Anglicans into the Roman Catholic Church. In the American province of the worldwide Anglican Communion, “The Episcopal Church,” it began with alterations to the Book of Common Prayer in 1979 and increased with the ordination of female clergy, along with the widespread acceptance of homosexuality.
Springfield Missouri is home to about four Episcopalian parishes and two continuing Anglican parishes. There was one small Traditional Anglican Communion (TAC) parish about ten years ago, but it was later disbanded and the chapel sold. That being said, there are currently no Anglican parishes within the city that are interested in entering the emerging Anglican ordinariates within the Roman Catholic Church.ӬӬ
However, that does not mean Springfield is lacking individuals with Anglican backgrounds who have taken interest in accepting the pope’s offer. That being the case, a few pioneering Christians are starting their own prayer group in Springfield, with the intent of eventually forming an Anglican Use parish under the pastoral care of the soon to be Anglican Use ordinary bishop. They’ve named their group simply “Anglican-Use Catholics of Springfield Missouri.”
I can’t imagine this is the intention of the Apostolic Constitution… That lone-wolves would start their own congregations with the intention of never developing an Anglican patrimony of their own so they can use Anglican Use liturgies. Maybe I’m missing something…
There is an anglo-catholic parish in Springfield, St. John’s. There you may attend the weekday service where they recite the “Hail, Mary” etc.
#1 The ordinariate described in the Apostolic Constitution is open to all Anglicans, including converts already received, regardless of their parish affiliation. Several of the people mentioned in the article appear to fit the bill.
There is nothing in canon law to discourage groups of Catholics gathering to participate in authorized Catholic liturgies and devotions, such as those in the Book of Divine Worship.
I don’t quite see your objection.
There’s not even a TEC parish here in Franklin County, Missouri. I’d love it if a continuing anglican church would plant something here.
While it is may be true there are no other parishes interested in the new RC initiative; there is plenty brewing of solid Scriptural Anglicanism brewing in the Ozarks! Check out St. Thomas Anglican – http://www.stthomasanglicans.org
Fr. Carl Eyberg