Five Ways – Apr 26

April 15, 2026

1.  Easter Joy reflected in definitions by children.  1.  An unbreakable toy is useful for breaking other toys.  2. If at first you DO succeed, try not to look astonished.  3. Diplomacy:  the art of letting someone have your way. (All from Gil Boucher OMI’s Father Gloat, !, 250-51).

2.  Anglican Ordinariate Update, remembering that in the USA, Anglican means Episcopalian: I began to explore this great development in evangelization and sacral-reverential language in the February 19 and March 26 Five Ways (available on http://www.harrywinter.org). On March 26, the Vatican  Dicastery for the Propagation of the Faith released an extraordinary document, “The Characteristics of the Anglican Heritage” (meaning Episcopalian in the USA).  On March 1-3, two of the three bishops of the Anglican Ordinariate visited Rome and were received by Pope Leo.

Founded in 2009 by Pope Benedict, the Anglican Ordinariate consists of three dioceses that are growing steadily: the USA and Canada, headed by Bishop Steven Lopes; Great Britain, headed by Bishop David Waller; and Australia and Japan, headed by Bishop Anthony Randazzo.

The Vatican document “Characteristics” listed 7 features of the Anglican Ordinariate, emphasizing the way people are attracted to their churches (evangelization), the beauty of its worship (using the Anglican Book of Common Prayer), and the outreach to the poor. Peter Jesserer Smith of Our Sunday Visitor quickly published on March 26 a four page document explaining this “Vatican affirms permanent place of ‘Anglican heritage’ in the Catholic Church,” available by googling Peter Jesserer Smith.

On April 8, about 40 Oblates mainly from DC, LA, MA and NY attended our annual spring meeting in Tewksbury, MA and I was able to present hard copies of Smith’s article and briefly explain this development.  Our provincial, Very Rev. Ray Cook, now superior of all the Oblates in the USA, but Catholic chaplain at Rice University during covid, commented that the Anglican Ordinariate parish in Houston stayed open during covid and many people joined during this time. Cook is very impressed by Bishop Lopes and noted that the Houston Ordinariate grew enough to build a Catholic high school in Houston, Cathedral High School.

There is an Anglican Ordinariate parish meeting at Holy Trinity Church, Lowell, MA and celebrating Mass in the second floor St. Athanasius Chapel.  I hope to join them for Mass soon.  Please check to see if there is an Anglican Ordinariate parish near you.  I welcome hearing your reaction to their liturgy.

The Holy Spirit is working in marvelous ways.  As we prepare for Pentecost Sunday, May 24, may the Anglican Ordinariate help us to see the action of the Holy Spirit.

In Easter love,

Father Harry Winter, O.M.I.

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