As a convert of eight years who has become a member of the Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter and has attended an Ordinariate parish for the past three, I truly believe that the growth that all of the Personal Ordinariates are currently experiencing is a real moment of restoration and revival, not only for Christianity in England specifically, but the perspective the English bring to Christian spirituality, and the hopeful revitalization of Western spirituality as a whole.
I have also fallen in love with many of the English Martyrs and accounts of Christians who lived during the anti-Catholic persecutions at the time. It really bolsters my own faith and encourages me in times of distress, not of persecution, but in dealing with the mundane trials of life!
Sure! For nearby parishes, our own parish has a robust homeschool co-op that is attended by children of multiple parishes. I’m also aware various items in our parish have been graciously donated from others in the area as well. In particular, the first year of our parish’s life was spent holding services in the chapel of another diocesan parish until we had the resources to buy our own property, so there’s a particular connection in that case.
For the local diocese, I’m a little less knowledgeable I admit. I know that seminarians training for the Ordinariate who are from my geographic area are often sent to the major seminary in my diocese for formation, but it’s also to my understanding the Ordinariate has its own property across from the seminary where they live and are more closely formed in the Ordinariate’s distinct spiritual heritage, and taught to celebrate Mass according to Divine Worship.
For the greater local community, I admit we are a small but growing parish, still operating in a temporary building until we can start construction on the church itself, and so our opportunities for outreach at that level are not yet fully comparable to the more established ones in my area, but even then we frequently do things like food drives, accepting donations for women’s shelters, and encouraging parishioners to volunteer with both other parishes and service groups in the wider community.
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