Yesterday's announcement of an Apostolic Constitution providing for groups of Anglicans to come into the Church was met by us with a double excitement. We didn't think we could share with you the reason why but Fr. Brian Mulcahy, OP, socius for Fr. Dominic Izzo, OP, provincial of St. Joseph's Province posted an important announcement on the friars' website explaining why. We will simply republish it below:
On February 21, 2009, many Dominican priests, brothers, [nuns], sisters and laity received an e-mail with an urgent prayer request requested by (then) Fr Augustine Di Noia, O.P., Undersecretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, asking all Dominicans to pray the Litany of Dominican Saints from February 22 (the Feast of the Chair of St Peter) through March 25 (the Solemnity of the Annunciation) for an at-the-time undisclosed intention. Today, we received an e-mail from Archbishop Augustine Di Noia, O.P., the Secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, with the following announcement:
"Today there was announced -- at press conferences in Rome and London -- the forthcoming publication of an apostolic constitution in which the Holy Father allows for the creation of personal ordinariates for groups of Anglicans in different parts of the world who are seeking full communion with the Catholic Church. The canonical structure of the personal ordinariate will permit this corporate reunion while at the same time providing for retention of elements of Anglican liturgy and spirituality.
When I asked the friars (and other OPs - Ed.) to pray the Dominican litany from 22 February to 25 March earlier this year, the intention was that this proposal would receive the approval of the cardinal members of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith which was necessary if the proposal of some structure allowing for corporate reunion was to go forward. Our prayers at that time were answered, and now that the proposal has become a reality we can tell everyone what we were praying for then.
Fraternally,
+Abp. J Augustine Di Noia, OP
This momentous news has already hit both the secular and Catholic press, but Archbishop Di Noia wanted all of you to know that your prayers were very effective, and that he extends his most profound fraternal thanks.
Here is a link to the Vatican website that has the text of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith's Note concerning this new, historic arrangement.
Immediately on receiving this communication in February—Fr. Mulcahy's left out the nuns(!) in this posting but we'll forgive him—Sr. Mary Martin provided a booklet of the Litany of Dominican Saints and Blesseds for each Sister and it was a regular sight to see Sisters staying after Office, especially Compline, asking the intercession of all our Heavenly Brothers and Sisters. You can find the Litany HERE. We had to update it and add a few more saints bringing the total of invocations to about 160!
We learned back in early June that in God's great mercy our prayers were being answered and that it had to do with the Anglican question but had no idea of how momentous this actually was.
As all the details are ironed out and as many of our Anglican brothers and sisters make many difficult decisions and sacrifices to avail themselves of our Holy Father's loving gesture welcoming them to their True Ecclesial Home, we support them, our Holy Father and all involved by our prayer.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
That All May Be One: The Power of Prayer
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13 comments:
Wow! <-- awed reverent silence for the work of the Holy Spirit
Dear Sisters
I am an Anglican and a fellow-religious. I know that what binds us together as Christians under our Lord is far more important than what has divided us in the past. I love that we can meet and share in the love of Christ the warmth of our joy in God together.
However, I'm also a very happy Anglican and value the particular treasures of our Church and the openness and via media that is one of our particular charisms as a whole Communion.
I would love to see the day when we Anglicans and Catholics can meet around the Lord's Table, accepting our differences and valuing them, but acknowledging our common heritage and faith.
Robyn
Dear Sisters,
In addition to my previous post, I would gladly join the Catholic Church when the Church recognises that not only does God call both men and women to the religious life, but God also calls both men and women to office and vocation of a priest.
Robyn
"Fear the litanies of the Dominicans," indeed...
Thank you for the invitation, Sisters, but much as you are quite happy where God called you to work in the Roman Catholic Church, I am quite happy where God has called me to work in The Episcopal Church.
May God bless you and keep you and shine Her face upon you.
I find it strange that Episcopalians are getting worked up over this - if they want to stay in their own church, no one's forcing them to convert, though of course we always pray for reunification.
Anyway, sisters, great work on the prayers, and this story is now posted on the American Papist blog as well: http://www.americanpapist.com/2009/10/background-abp-di-noia-asked-dominican.html
It made me curious, though: are you often asked to pray for "secret" causes, and do you always find out later what they were? What a nice demonstration of faith to pray for an unknown goal!
Although I am Roman Catholic, I do understand the feelings of the Anglican/Episcopalian religious. At a certain level, it can feel like the Roman Church is taking advantage of divisions in the Anglican Communion to poach. I am not saying that is the case, I am only saying that it can FEEL that way. Similarly, there is a similar feeling in the Roman Church where Protestant evangelists have made inroads into a previously all-Catholic population.
Barbara, I'm afraid you've been reading too much of the NY Times!
This isn't about taking advantage but about the Church offering to Anglicans who have been seeking to come into the Church a way from them to come into Full Communion and retain their particular spiritual heritage and tradition. These talks have been going on for years.
Sisters, would it be possible to provide the updated Litany for download, or copy and paste?
Dear Sisters, I did say that it was a "feeling" and not necessarily the case. I do understand that the offer was made in response to Anglicans who have been petitioning the Vatican for such an accomodation. Nevertheless, it has raised uncomfortable feelings among Anglicans/Episcopalians and I am only acknowledging that.
Dear Sisters,
Thank you for posting this wonderfully edifying notice. I was given the news of Father Di Noia's prayer request by one of your Nuns some months back. When I saw now Archbishop Di Noia's picture from Tuesday's press conference -- what's he doing there, I thought -- I began to suspect that this was the big secret intention.
Please keep praying, because the devil and his minions will do their best to thwart this and neutralize its good effects. The battle has only begun.
Oh, and since you have such a good record, please pray for me!
Dear Sister,
Ahem...if you'll notice, I edited Abp Di Noia's original e-mail, which said only "friars" with a parenthetical (and other OPs -- Ed.) I'm "Ed" in this case! And since "other OPs" would indeed include our beloved Nuns, I didn't, wouldn't, couldn't forget all of you.
Fraternally in St Dominic,
Father Brian Mulcahy, O.P.
:-D
Thanks fr. Brian! We thought we had been sold to the Jesuits and were contemplating what we would all look like in black!
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