What a joyful day for us.
Another Anglican Bishop Answers Pope Benedict's Call to Unity
From James Bradley:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELASE
Another Anglican bishop answers Pope Benedict's call to unity
Former Anglican monk and bishop, Robert Mercer, has been received into the full communion of the Catholic Church by Monsignor Keith Newton through the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham.
On Saturday 7 January, Mgr Newton celebrated Mass according to the Book of Divine Worship at the historic church of St Agatha’s, Portsmouth, by kind permission of the Reverend John Maunder, who cares for the Traditional Anglican Communion faithful in that area.
Mgr Newton said, 'It is a great privilege to receive Robert into the fullness of Catholic life. He is a man of unimpeachable moral stature who, through his ministry in Africa and with the Community of the Resurrection, brings many valuable treasures of Anglican life into the Catholic Church'.
Robert Mercer was born in Zimbabwe and has been a member of the Community of the Resurrection, Mirfield, for 49 years. From 1977-89 he was the Anglican bishop of Matabeleland and from 1989-2005 he served as a bishop of the Traditional Anglican Catholic Church of Canada. He retired in 2005 and became the Episcopal Visitor to the Traditional Anglican Communion in the UK.
Six former Anglican bishops have now been reconciled to the Holy See through the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham.
AND
A historic day in the Catholic Church — today Robert Mercer CR, one-time Bishop of Matabeleland and more recently Metropolitan of the Anglican Catholic Church of Canada, was received into the Roman Catholic Communion. Msgr Keith Newton, Ordinary of the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham celebrated and preached. Assisting were Fr Jonathan Redvers-Harris who leads the Group in Ryde on the Isle of Wight, together with Fr Anthony Glaishyer the parish Priest of St Mary's Ryde (in the Biretta above), and with them Fr Graham Smith from Poole (rt) and Fr Edwin Barnes (left) of the Bournemouth Group.
All this took place in the Church of St Agatha, Portsea, through the kindness of Fr Maunder of the Traditional Anglican Communion (TAC) who is a Trustee of St Agatha's and cares for the TAC congregation which worships there. Before his sermon Msgr Keith read out a letter of greeting from Bishop David Moyer who oversees the TAC groups in England. Bishop Moyer saw this day as a foretaste of what is to come, when many in the wider Anglican family are able to enter into Communion with the Catholic Church.
It was good that Bishop Mercer was supported by so many old friends, Catholic, Anglican and "Continuing". It was an immensely happy occasion, and the regulars of St Agatha's put on a great spread for the reception after Mass. The Rite used was that approved by the Catholic Church for Anglican Use parishes in the USA, the Book of Divine Worship (and permitted for use in the English Ordinariate), and the celebration was Eastward facing ('ad orientem').
A small choir led us in singing the Missa de Angelis and a good selection of Epiphany hymns, while the Propers were of the day, Saturday in Christmas time.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELASE
Another Anglican bishop answers Pope Benedict's call to unity
Former Anglican monk and bishop, Robert Mercer, has been received into the full communion of the Catholic Church by Monsignor Keith Newton through the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham.
On Saturday 7 January, Mgr Newton celebrated Mass according to the Book of Divine Worship at the historic church of St Agatha’s, Portsmouth, by kind permission of the Reverend John Maunder, who cares for the Traditional Anglican Communion faithful in that area.
Mgr Newton said, 'It is a great privilege to receive Robert into the fullness of Catholic life. He is a man of unimpeachable moral stature who, through his ministry in Africa and with the Community of the Resurrection, brings many valuable treasures of Anglican life into the Catholic Church'.
Robert Mercer was born in Zimbabwe and has been a member of the Community of the Resurrection, Mirfield, for 49 years. From 1977-89 he was the Anglican bishop of Matabeleland and from 1989-2005 he served as a bishop of the Traditional Anglican Catholic Church of Canada. He retired in 2005 and became the Episcopal Visitor to the Traditional Anglican Communion in the UK.
Six former Anglican bishops have now been reconciled to the Holy See through the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham.
AND
Matabeleland, Canada and the Ordinariate
Robert Mercer CR with his sponsor, and Msgr Keith & Concelebrants
Msgr Keith & Fr Maunder
Apres Mass
Msgr Keith in the midst
* * *
The Anglican Catholic Church in Canada (ACCC) is part of the Traditional Anglican Communion (TAC) and traces its origin to the Congress of St Louis.
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