15 July 2010

The Divine is in the Detail

I have been musing on a detail which the Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum coetibus does not make explicit. Are you sitting comfortably?

Ordinariates will be immediately subject to the Sovereign Pontiff; and the jurisdiction of the Ordinary will be that of the Roman Pontiff himself per modum vicarium. This surely means that clergy of Ordinariates should dress in the old Roman clerical style. That is to say, in summary, with those white fold-over collars worn by Redemptorists and Oratorians; and with bobble-free birettas.

Come to think of it, that would make us look distinctly more like the clergy in portraits from the Laudian period. And - for that matter - would be a useful reminder of the pride which the Anglo-Saxon Church took in the accuracy, even in details, of its Romanitas. And, if we are to be called the Newman Ordinariate, well, it's what Newman wore.

When Anglo-Catholics start talking about the tat and the millinery, you know we're serious.

8 comments:

  1. I think it's Chinese.. Korean has its own script.

    And as for being very Romans of the Romans, how St Augustine of Canterbury and his holy companions will be pleased!

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  2. I recall that Fortescue notes a Roman custom of using only the minimum number of servers - not cluttering the sanctuary with a multitude of useless boys - and in particular of not using a processional cross.

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  3. Joshua's first sentence refers to some entries I have deleted.

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  4. A far less important question than bobbles on hats, but a related one which has occurred to me a few times...has any indication been given on what would be said during the "Una cum..." of the Canon? Will the Antistite be the Holy Father (and thus be omitted on grounds of repitition) or the Ordinary?

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  5. Could I perhaps draw your attention to the excellent Anglo Catholic blog in which Father Chadwick is musing on the same theme.

    See: http://www.theanglocatholic.com/

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  6. Are you going to wear a Capello Saturno Father?

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  7. Anonymous15 July, 2010

    Greca and saturno over cassock, except in warm weather.

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  8. ”When Anglo-Catholics start talking about the tat and the millinery, you know we're serious.

    Well my mother always maintained that “the suit makes the man”. Conversely, of course, there is the saying that “the habit does not make the monk”.

    Hmm…dilemma.

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