Melrose resident Jurgen Liias’s spiritual journey has led him down an unusual path: Last weekend he became one of the first Episcopal priests in the country to be ordained as a Catholic priest.
Cardinal Sean O’Malley, the archbishop of Boston, ordained Liias as a Catholic priest on Saturday, April 20, at St. Mary Star of the Sea Church in Beverly.
Citizens have likely seen Liias around the city, gardening at his Melrose Street home or on MMTV’s “Wellsprings of Faith” ”” a religious show that focuses on various people’s journeys in faith.
A lovely, faithful man…Prayers for a long and fruitful ministry for Fr. Jurgen.
One of the first Episcopal priests to be ordained RC? Hogwash. The clerical highway between the two churches has been busy for decades in both directions.
A friend and former professor of mine attended his (re-)ordination. I posted this on his wall and at this point is still sums up my thoughts:
“I’m glad that you . . . were able to be there. Jurgen Liias was not only priest and pastor to me but undoubtedly played a role in my following the Trail to Canterbury. So, while I understand his path to Rome, I can’t help but feel a twinge of disappointment.”
I’m surprised that Rome allowed this if his wife didn’t convert. Is there precedent?
The article seems to say that he had left the Episcopal Church for another expression of Anglicanism. Do any of our readers know which one?
He was briefly part of a new ACNA parish — see
http://jurgenliias.blogspot.com/2012/02/spiritual-autobiography-autobiography.html
Many years!
#5 He is part of the Ordinariate recently established by Pope Benedict for Anglicans wishing to come into full communion with the Holy See but keep much of their liturgy.