===== The “Book of Common Prayer” and the King James Bible have some of the most beautiful English language material ever written. The modern RC version of the 23rd psalm is garbage by comparison, as just one example. “.....verdant pastures....” blyech!
It’s an odd choice for a Catholic First Communion gift, perhaps, but I have my great grandfather’s Book of Common Prayer, still bound in a canvas cover which he carried with him throughout WWII in the Pacific and have been holding it for my nephew’s first communion since his dad, like my great-grandfather, was a convert to Catholicism.
Could you please explain the Ordinariate to me?
I haven't studied up on it all that much, but as I understand it, the Ordinariate sets up a structure that groups of Anglicans/Episcopalians can join as whole churches or groups of churches rather than as individuals, and appoints bishops to shepherd those churches.
The groupings are not related to geography (other than at the parish level). Several whole parishes with their priests and deacons have joined communion with Rome, and in at least a couple of cases, I think bishops have come in and brought several churches with them.
I'm sure there are a lot of details and bureaucratic stuff that has to happen, but I think that is the general gist of it.
The ordinariate retains a slightly modified "Book of Common Prayer" (doctrinal errors purged) and Anglican hymnody.
Individual Anglicans still have to go the standard RCIA route. I suspect far more convert that way than via the ordinariate.