Southwark: Anglican groups begin journey to Catholicism

Service at St George's Cathedral

Archbishop Peter Smith presided at the Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion at St George's Cathedral, Southwark on Saturday, 12 March 2011.

Among the 274 Catechumens and 252 Candidates from 88 of the diocesan parishes were 155 Candidates, including seven former Anglican ministers and their congregations, who are entering into full communion with the Catholic Church within the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham. This gives a total of 681 Catechumens and Candidates who look forward to being baptised or received into the Church during Holy Week.

The congregation of more than 1200 packed the Cathedral for the celebration which was attended by auxiliary bishops, Bishops John, Parick and Paul, and Monsignor Matthew Dickens, Diocesan Vicar General and Chancellor.

The Anglican congregations and ministers which will be joining the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham are:

Rev Simon Heans with 11 members of the Beckenham and Bromley Ordinariate Group who will worship at St Edmund's, Beckenham.
 
Rev Christopher Lindlar with 11 members of the East Kent (Deal) Ordinariate Group who will worship at St. John the Evangelist, Mongeham.

Rev Stephen Bould with 14 members of the Folkestone Ordinariate Group who will worship at Our Lady, Help of Christians, Folkestone.

Rev Christopher Pearson with 30 members of the South London (Kennington) Ordinariate Group who will worship at St Wilfrid’s, Kennington Park

Rev Ivan Aquilina with 30 members of the Sevenoaks Ordinariate Group who will worship at St Thomas of Canterbury, Sevenoaks.

Rev Edward Tomlinson and Rev Andrew with 52 members of the Tunbridge Wells Ordinariate Group who will worship at St Anselm’s, Pembury.

Source: Archdiocese of Southwark