Q: Who can be a member of Saint Aelred?

A: Any Catholic looking for a parish home or anyone looking to become Catholic.

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Q: Why does Mass at Saint Aelred look and sound a little different than what I'm used to?

A: The Mass is according to our liturgical book Divine Worship: The Missal which was given to us by Rome. Most are familiar with Mass according to the liturgical book The Roman Missal: 3rd Edition.

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Q: What Diocese is Saint Aelred in?

A: Saint Aelred Catholic Church is in The Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter (POCSP), a non-geographical diocese. Our Cathedral, Our Lady of Walsingham, is located in Houston, Texas.

 

Q: What is The Ordinariate?

A: Our diocese was created by Pope Benedict XVI in the document Anglicanorum Coetibus. It was created to share the English Christian tradition again with English speaking Catholics, to help former Protestants become Roman Catholic, to evangelize and welcome all who wish to be in full communion with Rome.

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Q: Is the Ordinariate Catholic?

A: Yes, Pope Benedict XVI created The Ordinariate and it remains a personal project of the Papacy for the whole of the Catholic Church. It is part of the Roman/Latin Rite.

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Q: Who is your Bishop?

A: The Most Reverend Stephen J. Lopes. He worked for the Congregation or the Doctrine of Faith (CDF) for ten years before being consecrated a Bishop in 2016 on Candlemas to serve the POCSP. He is also the current Head of the Committee for Divine Worship in the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops (USCCB).

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Q: Why would I want to join The Ordinariate?

A: If our mission inspires and reinvigorates your faith, and you want to make our mission your mission, if you think God has called you to this way of being Catholic, then you may want to discern joining our diocese. If you want Bishop Lopes to be your Bishop and your tithe to go to a diocese that focuses on evangelization through reverent liturgy, orthodox teaching, fellowship, and the spiritual life, then you may want to discern joining us.

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Q: What is the Mission of the Ordinariate?

A: Our two-fold mission is to (1) evangelize to help Protestants come into full communion with Rome through a particular English-speaking Christian tradition & (2) share our Patrimony with the rest of the Catholic Church: the way we do liturgy, fellowship, and spirituality from the ancient English speaking tradition.

 

Q: How do I learn more about Saint Aelred & the Ordinariate?
A: To learn about us in a way that is more than a mere idea, come see what we're about in the flesh.