THE P RTAL Historic Events by Arnold Herron


ELSEWHERE IN THIS second edition of THE PORTAL you will be able to read about Westminster Cathedral. Many have had their say about the setting up of the Ordinariate. It is for THE PORTAL to reflect upon the historic events of Saturday 15th


January 2011.


Archbishop Vincent Nichols Archbishop Vincent Nichols said that there had


been many Ordinations in Westminster Cathedral during its one hundred year existence; but none like those on Saturday 15th


January 2011! On that day three


ex-Anglican Bishops were ordained to the Catholic priesthood. Te occasion was as joyful as it was momentous.


Westminster Cathedral was full. Te seats reserved


for the Press were full. Te places kept for friends and family were full.


The Press Once those who read


the scriptures to us had vacated the huge pulpit, it too became full of the Press with cameras, microphones and all sorts of recording


equipment.


Pictures and sound were beamed around the world in seconds. It seemed that the whole Catholic World had its focus upon Westminster Cathedral.


Our Lady of Walsingham As the long Procession made its way to the High


Altar an air of expectation was in the air. We heard that the Ordinariate is to be called the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham. It will be under the patronage of Blessed John Henry Newman. As these words of announcement rang out through the vast caverns of the Cathedral there was a collective sigh of gratitude.


Father John Broadhurst Fittingly it was Father John Broadhurst who was the


first priest in the Ordinariate. He had led the movement through his chairmanship of Forward in Faith, had at one time been the youngest deacon and then the youngest priest in the Church of England and also the youngest clerical member of its General Synod. Doubtless first because his name is first alphabetically, it was nevertheless appropriate.


Father Keith Newton Father Keith Newton is our Ordinary. Tere was


great joy at that announcement. Fr Andrew Burnham will be there to assist and bring his liturgical expertise to bear upon the Ordinariate. We are greatly privileged to have three such men at the head of the new venture.


Father Andrew Burnham Aſterwards I was able to ask Father Andrew


Burnham for a comment. All he could say was, “I am overwhelmed by the generosity of welcome!”


Fr Broadhurst told THE


PORTAL he was pleased that Fr Newton had been appointed the Ordinary. Emotionally he continued; “I am amazed at the Vatican’s generosity, and humbled by Archbishop Nichols’ comments about our previous ministry. It is all wonderful.”


Te new Ordinary


himself, Fr Keith Newton, said in a press statement that he was “humbled” by the appointment. He went on to say that he had not sought, or expected it; but prayed that God would grant him the wisdom and grace to live up to the trust placed in him. He paid tribute to the generosity and patience of Archbishop Rowan Williams as well as thanking the Catholic Church for her welcome.


Speaking exclusively to THE PORTAL, he said, “I am


overwhelmed by the events of the weekend, and was moved by the Laying-on of Hands and the Peace at the Ordination Mass. One really was welcomed into a world-wide college.”


“The Ordinary writes..” Starting with this second issue of THE PORTAL, we


will carry a page each month entitled “Te Ordinary writes..” In this issue it is Fr Keith himself who writes, but in subsequent ones, it may be any one of the “Faithful Tree”.


February 2011


Page 3


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