Masons and the Ordinariate

There is a short but succinct letter from Fr Ashley Beck in the 14 January 2011 edition of the Catholic Herald which says:

Sir - Presumably someone is inquiring whether Anglican clergy and lay people intending to join the ordinariate are Freemasons. It would be a bit of an anti-climax if, having been received into the Catholic Church, some were unable to receive Communion later in the Mass."

Fr Beck is an ex-Anglican clergyman and the author of the CTS booklet Freemasonry and the Christian faith. He knows the nature of the beast so to speak.

Anglicans aside, there are a few "good" Catholics who could do with being reminded that Freemasonry is utterly incompatible with Catholicism and that Catholics may not be Freemasons (irrespective of what Fr Tie Dye may say!)

Great news for the Ordinariate

The Catholic Herald this morning is reporting that 5, yes 5, Anglican bishops are to join the Ordinariate!

From the headline article on the Catholic Herald website:

This morning, the Rt Rev Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury accepted the resignation of three flying Church of England and two retired assistant bishops in what is a major development in the move towards establishing an Ordinariate in Britain.

The Rt Rev Andrew Burnham, Bishop of Ebbsfleet, the Rt Rev Keith Newton, Bishop of Richborough and Rt Rev John Broadhurst Bishop of Fulham as well as the Rt Rev Edwin Barnes the emeritus Bishop of Richborough and the Rt Rev David Silk, an emeritus assistant bishop of Exeter released a statement announcing their resignations.

They said: “As bishops, we have even-handedly cared for those who have shared our understanding and those who have taken a different view. We have now reached the point, however, where we must formally declare our position and invite others who share it to join us on our journey. We shall be ceasing, therefore, from public episcopal ministry forthwith, resigning from our pastoral responsibilities in the Church of England with effect from 31st December 2010, and seeking to join an Ordinariate once one is created.”

Nearly home now Bishops! You are assured of our prayers.