Posted on 01/23/2017 7:11:28 PM PST by marshmallow
The orthodox priest's removal is being called "illegal and abusive"
SAN ANTONIO, Texas (ChurchMilitant.com) - A Catholic priest in charge of one of the most important Anglican Catholic parishes in the United States is being removed by the archbishop of San Antonio.
Parishioners of Our Lady of the Atonement (OLA) Catholic Church in San Antonio, Texas are claiming Abp. Gustavo García-Siller is removing Fr. Christopher Phillips in order to repurpose the parish, which has a solid reputation for orthodoxy and reverent liturgy.
Siller distributed a letter to parishioners on January 19 stating, "I have asked your pastor ... to dedicate some time to reflect on some specific concerns that I have shared with him."
It continues, "These specific concerns relate to expressions in the life of the parish that indicate an identity separate from, rather than simply unique, among the parishes of the archdiocese."
He adds, "During this time of reflection and prayer, Fr. Phillips will not have the responsibility of pastoral care or authority in the parish."
Parishioners are responding in shock and sadness. Charles Wilson, OLA parishioner and chairman of the St. Joseph Foundation, calls Siller's decision "illegal and abusive."
"He gives the impression that we are simply in a period of 'reflection and prayer,'" Wilson commented. "I can tell you with certainty that this is not true. Instead, the archbishop has initiated the canonical process to remove Fr. Phillips as our pastor."
He concludes, "If he succeeds, you can expect that Our Lady of the Atonement will become a territorial parish with perhaps one Anglican Use liturgy per week. All that we have sacrificed for will be lost."
An inside source close to the situation told Church Militant, "Many within the OLA are saying this is a land grab. The archbishop has the legal right to.....
(Excerpt) Read more at churchmilitant.com ...
Uh-oh, now they've done it. He's a great canon lawyer.
Out of the frying pan, into the fire.
*Anglican* Catholic?
It’s a real thing, pope Benedict allowed Anglican parishes to come over wholesale and retain the Anglican “Sarum” rite. My limited understanding of the situation is that our lady of atonement is an outlier in that she is an anglican rite parish, but not in the Anglican rite Ordinate (which has its own Bishop). Because of this they are under the legal authority of the diocesan bishop. However, my understanding is that they applied to be switched over to the Anglican rite ordinate before this latest move by the Bishop.
We need a “brief” on the Anglican/Catholic situation! I am seeing a half dozen “Anglican” churches/diocese sites in the San Antonio part of Texas. Some have a Nigerian bishop/connection. Some background from a “FR Anglican Expert” might be in order. Thanks! ;-)
http://church.atonementonline.com (The church in question)
http://epiphanyanglicansanantonio.com
http://stjamesanglicancatholic-satx.org
http://www.allsaintsanglican.net
http://dioceseofthewest.org
http://www.anglicancatholic.org/frequently-asked-questions
http://anglicanchurch.net
OLA parish is an “Anglican Use” Catholic parish. It’s just as much a Catholic parish as any other but it uses a liturgy that would seem rather familiar to many Anglicans. That liturgy itself is very grounded in medieval Catholic liturgical prayers and practices from England.
Here’s a video of Mass at that very parish when celebrated by the head of the Ordinariate for the U.K. (i.e. Anglicans who became Catholics): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VkfON4DAh4 Here’s the wikipedia page about ordinariates:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_ordinariate
>removing Fr. Christopher Phillips in order to repurpose the parish
If Phillips accepts islam as valid then burn it down. islam and its filth can not be accepted by any thinking person.
The priest converted and is Catholic. The Anglican rite is quite beautiful and some of the Anglican elements are allowed in this Catholic Church. Piety is supreme and this priest is celebrating a similar Traditional Latin Mass, the priests face the Tabernacle, not people, and Holy Communion is received on the knees and on the tongue, at the communion rail.
You’re confusing things.
There may be three different entities involved in the links you posted:
1) Catholic (Anglican Use) - these are Catholics, many of Anglican background, who became Catholics and use a liturgy that has many prayers and practices that Anglicans would recognize. Many of these parishes are part of an Ordinariate created just for them: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_ordinariate The parish in question existed BEFORE the ordinariate and apparently recently decided to join it (at least that’s what some say).
2) Anglicans/Episcopalians.
3) Anglicans who left the Episcopal Church because of its liberalism and joined the Continuing Anglican Movement: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continuing_Anglican_movement
I’m Anglican and can help sort some of this out for you.
Atonement left the Episcopal Church to become Roman Catholic,they were placed under the authority of the bishop in the diocese where they reside. The AU were the first wave to go to Rome.Their liturgy is from The Book of Divine Worship.
The second wave went to Rome under the Pope’s personal ordinariate and are governed by a bishop who reports to the Pope.
Atonement wanted to transfer to the Ordinariate but for reasons unclear the bishop they were under nixed it and removed the priest. The congregation is upset because while they have grown they came in as an Anglican Use parish with expectations of remaining thus. There is property involved including a school that the diocesan may not want to lose if the church were to go to the ordinariate.
The other churches and organizations on your list are Anglican and have no relation to the Roman Catholic church. I can sort that out for you too if you’d like but they have no bearing on this story.
This really fries my nose. I don’t understand why they weren’t allowed to join the Ordinariate initially, and now this! I hope it’s not the start of a broader campaign against Anglicanorum Coetibus, but nothing will surprise me in this pontificate...
The fake Pope is using brass knuckle tactics to enforce his new version of Catholicism.
Thanks. Your post was most helpful.
The Ordinariate under Bishop Lopes may very well come under fire as he has written a directive to the Ordinariate Parishes in Canada & the US clarifying the Ordinariate Position on Amoris Laetitia.
Meanwhile, the Archbishop has scandalized a Godly and Holy Priest with false charges as the reason for removal, and left
The members shocked, dismayed, and suffering.
Also, the Archbishop flat out lied, saying the removal for fifteen days was to reflect on areas of concern, when in fact the Archbishop had begun the Canonical Process for Removal.
The Ordinariate did not exist when they became Roman Catholic.
You’re welcome. I have friends involved. :(
Thanks for the info.! I am somewhat familiar with Eastern Orthodox but not Anglican. Thanks again.
The members of the US Ordinariate may end up bearing the same cross as their English brethren -- from what I understand, the Bishops of England and Wales only begrudgingly tolerate the Ordinariate of OL of Walsingham, and (consciously or unconsciously) work to undermine it.
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