Well, the service this morning went for two and a half hours! That was due to a combination of factors, eight ordinands + more than a hundred ordaining priests (I didn’t count them – and I am not good at estimating numbers). The laying on of hands and the greeting of peace – two separate rites within the ceremony – took ages, as each ordaining priest laid hands upon / greeted each ordinand.
The ordinands were (for Melbourne) Andrew McCarter, Benneth Osuagwu, Jerome Santamaria, and Kevin Williams; (for the Ordinariate of Our Lady of the Southern Cross) Neil Fryer, James Grant, Christopher Seton, Ramsay Williams.
Archbishop Denis Hart was the ordaining minister, and Father Harry Entwistle, the Ordinary of OLSC, was the first of the presbyters to lay on hands after the Archbishop. A suprise visitor and concelebrant (he wasn’t listed on the program) was His Eminence George Cardinal Pell, Archbishop of Sydney.
The Cathedral was full. I arrived about an hour before the service began (it started at 10am and ended at 12:30pm) to find an long and orderly line up outside the Cathedral door waiting for the doors to open – not something that I have experienced before – perhaps something from the Anglican Patrimony?
There appeared to me to be a great many Anglican folk in the congregation (I saw one pink shirt I didn’t recognise – probably from across the road at St Peter’s Eastern Hill). Of course one cannot just tell from looking who is and who isn’t an Anglican, and judging from the communion line I would not be surprised if many of these well wishers expressed their desire for communion with the Catholic Church by actually taking communion!
The Archbishop gave his homily from the chair just before the ordinations began. After the service, Fr Andrew McCarter spoke on behalf of the ordinands, thanking the Archbishop and also expressing their joy in being able to share their ordination day with their brothers in the presbyterate of the Ordninariate. Then Fr Harry Entwistle (he hasn’t been monsignored yet?) spoke very well and very movingly about this historic occasion. I expect both the homily and the speeches to be on the Archdiocesan Website by tomorrow complete with official pictures.
For the moment, I am looking forward to attending the concelebrated mass of the new Ordinariate priests with Fr Harry Entwistle at Holy Cross Catholic Church, 707 Glen Huntly Road, Caulfield South tomorrow morning at 11am. A thought just occured to me – if this is a concelebrated mass, with Fr Entwhistle presiding, is it actually a “first mass” for these priests? I know that Fr Ramsay Williams will be celebrating mass again later tomorrow at Mentone. Is that strictly his “first mass”? I ask simply because I want to know about the application of the indulgence for assisting at a first mass.
Here then is my gallery of pictures I took today. The official pictures will be much better – I was half way up the nave – but I think these came out quite well. Unlike Anglicans in the pews, you can tell which ones are the Ordinariate priests and which ones are the Diocesans – the Ordinariate priests are on the left with the grey hair and the Diocesans are on the right with the black hair!
Indeed, it was a beautiful and historic day! : )
I sat much closer to the front, on the side, and could see them prostrate on the floor of the sanctuary! Such a powerful moment, with over 2000 people singing the litany of the saints!
I found tears welling in my eyes at several points of the ordination rite, and when the newly ordained processed down at the end and people spontaneously started clapping as they walked by. But I was particularly moved by the small speech given by Fr Harry Entwistle as he highlighted the historic nature of the day. I could feel that he possesses a love and devotion for the church and the pope, something I have rarely seen or felt from Catholics.
Oh and of course, the liturgy, the choir and organ were magnificent! And Archbishop Hart, really is a master at singing the prayers of the mass.
I too was surprised by the presence of Card. Pell. The fact that his name wasn’t mentioned in the booklet (it can’t have been a mistake, as they listed all the other main clergy) seems to imply that he decided to come last minute….? I suppose, in hindsight, we should really expect the presence of the Cardinal on day like today.
What did others think of today?
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Thank you very much for this account and pictures! As news of the OLSC Ordinariate are scarce for the moment on the net, this is really invaluable source of first-hand information which will certainly be reposted on a number of blogs ;-)
And interest in this historic endeavour of Ordinariates (matched by prayerful support) is really worldwide, as I, living in the East European corner of the Catholic world may attest to!
Thank you for your report David. Dan, yes indeed it was a beautiful and historic day on the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
I was privileged to be one pew from the front, reserved for family and friends of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of the Southern Cross.
David, many of those people partaking of Holy Communion who looked like Anglicans, were in fact former Lay Anglicans who were Received by the Australian Ordinary, Mgr Harry Entwistle into full Communion with the Catholic Church last night at Holy Cross Catholic Church. It was the first Communion of the Melbourne Laity of OLSC. Tomorrow, Sunday, Mgr Entwistle will concelebrate Mass with his new priests at 11.00 a.m. at Holy Cross, their first Mass.
Today was the culmination of years of prayer, preparation and formation.
We were very honoured to have His Eminence George Cardinal Pell present with Archbishop Denis Hart presiding at the Ordination to the priesthood of the eight candidates, four from the Ordinariate.
As David knows, I have been organizing weekly meetings for the Ordinariate for the past year on behalf of Fr Seton and our group. We have had some wonderful speakers and support from the Catholic community in Melbourne, clergy and laity, including David.
These meetings will continue in another format yet to be decided at 8.00 p.m. at Holy Cross Catholic Church. Mass will be a 7.00 p.m.
After a lifetime of dedicated Anglo-Catholicism, I became a Catholic in April 2009. When the Holy Father announced Anglicanorum Coetibus my husband and myself, both of us members of Forward in Faith, sought to assist those seeking full communion with the Catholic Church. There have been many challenges along the way! It has been a learning experience for us all and one that has enriched my life.
On a deeper personal level, my greatest joy was on Friday night when my husband was Received into the Catholic Church along with our friends.
I wish to thank Madge Fahy, Robyn Fahy and Anna Krohn from the Catholic Womens League and Anima who have been towers of strength and friendship for me and our group; thank you to Tom Fahy who is always positive and sharing; much gratitude to Fr Glen Tattersall from St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Caulfield our near neighbour, who has prayerfully supported and guided us; thank you to the very busy and erudite Dr Tracey Rowland who gave four weeks of seminars to teach us so well; Dr Adam Cooper and Professor Nicholas Tonti-Filippini also from John Paul II Institute; the priests from the Missionaries of God’s Love; Louisa Ashton and the Emmanuel Community; Fr Pascal Corby; Brother Christian Moe; The Columban Missionary Fathers; Sr Margaret from Caritas and Livia Carusi, St. Vincent de Paul Society; The Peter Claver Sisters; John Young, scholar and teacher; Fr Bill Edebohls, Fr Greg Pritchard, Fr John Walshe, Fr Max Polak, Fr Tony Kerin, Fr John McDaniels, Fr Colin Marshall, Fr Gerard Diamond who taught us along the way; and to Bishop Peter Elliott who has patiently led us to this great day!
Yours in Christ,
Dawn Shaw
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I arrived in Melbourne last night, but a friend of mine also went to the ordination, and kindly saved me a booklet with the order of service. I’m glad to see the processional hymn was Newman’s “Praise to the Holiest in the height”, and that the communion hymn was “Thou who at thy first Eucharist didst pray”, that great Anglo-Catholic hymn. My mate said it certainly was a long service – he arrived an hour early – and he’s never seen St Patrick’s Cathedral so crowded.
Now, once I’ve done breakfast at the European Cafe, and paid a quick visit to St Patrick’s, just a few blocks away, I’ll drive down to South Caulfield for the 11 am Ordinariate Mass…
I’m sure David will post a full account, but suffice it to say the inaugural Ordinariate Mass was truly a profound example of godly worship. I estimated the congregation as about seventy.
Sorry, that should have read “numbering” about seventy. There were several adult servers looking after the candles and incense (not to mention that peculiarly Anglican custom of elevating the alm-dish at the offertory), a good organist who also led the singing of the Ordinary and the hymns (and who also sang the minor propers), and not only Fr Entwistle and the four just-ordained but also the local parish priest, who was congratulated on his bravery as an Irishmen to be among so English an assembly!
Mass took an hour and a half. Afterward, we said the Angelus before attending the bindings afterward. The layfolk I met were all much taken with the warmth of the welcome they have received. David and I also congratulated several of the priests on their ordination in the Catholic Chirch yesterday, and received Fr Grant’s first blessing. I didn’t meet Fr Entwistle but did meet his wife, a lovely person. What a great day!
That word should of course have been “bunfight” not bindings!
At the bottom of the article there is a video of the entire mass.
http://www.corpuschristicollege.org.au/index.php/news-events/item/58-joyous-ceremony-in-st-patrick%E2%80%99s-cathedral