Anglican Catholics out to evangelise

The Anglican Ordinariate which aims to be established in Australia by Pentecost is about evangelising, not preserving some pure form of Anglicanism, one of its leading figures said.

Bishop Harry Entwistle of Perth, one of 50 disaffected Anglicans who met on the Gold Coast this week to gauge “how many and who” will join the Ordinariate, said the Ordinariate’s aim will be that of the universal Church – to bring people into relationship with God.

Bishop Entwistle, who will address a Festival at Holy Family Catholic Parish in Como to “introduce the Anglican Ordinariate for Australia” on 26 February, said it has always been believed that the Ordinarate will begin “with smallish numbers who will then try to grow and evangelise”.

“We’ve got to get rid of the idea that all we’re interested in is preserving some ideal form of Anglicanism. We’re there to bring others to know and love the Lord and be united to the Church. That’s what it’s about,” Bishop Entwistle told The Record.

“We will be a part of the full Catholic Church, and like the rest of the Catholic Church our mission is to bring others into the Church, into a relationship with God.

“We’ll just have a different form of worship, but still be part of the Church, rather like having the Eastern Catholics – which, though not an exact parallel, is similar.”

The prelate of the Traditional Anglican Communion, which claims a global membership of over 400,000, is expected to be ordained a Catholic priest with three others, including one from the Torres Strait, to lead the western, eastern, southern and northern regions in Australia.

Japan’s TAC community, led by a retired Anglican Bishop, is expected to decide later this month to join the Australian Ordinariate.

The Festival, which Como parish priest Fr Aloysius Leong told his packed congregation last Sunday is “very important” for the Catholic Church, will also be held in Melbourne and Adelaide as an “information sharing session to see what the level of interest might be”.

Melbourne Auxiliary Bishop Peter Elliott, a former Anglican and Delegate for the Holy See for the Australian Ordinariate, will address the Festival in Perth, as will TAC Primate Archbishop John Hepworth of Adelaide.

Lay speakers will also address the Festival on what importance and interest the Ordinariate would hold for ‘cradle Catholics’ and former Anglicans who have already been received into the Catholic Church.

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