My informant also provided some clarification on the issue of who is eligible to join the Ordinariate. This is naturally relevant to the question of how many valid members each mission or parish has.
- Mt Calvary Church Baltimore: Mt Calvary entered the OCSP from The Episcopal Church. Twenty four members out of forty-five voted in favour, so the congregation is perhaps borderline for mission status, although the article I was forwarded on its reception mentions that many former parishioners had already become Catholic, so perhaps there has been some homecoming. The previous parish was apparently viable despite its small size so I assume there is money. They have a professional music director, for example. The previous rector was involved with Latin Mass enthusiasts so it may attract Catholics who enjoy traditional liturgy and music but are not eligible for OCSP membership.
- Our Lady of Hope, Kansas City: There is a reference on its blog to having over 30 in attendance "on a good Sunday" so it is also borderline (it calls itself "a mission of the OCSP" on its website). Before joining the OCSP this parish was ministered to by a diocesan priest who had been ordained under the Pastoral Provision, and later welcomed twenty former Episcopalians in 2008, ahead of Anglicanorum coetibus. An "Anglican Use" liturgy was subsequently offered. Recently their pastor left the diocesan parish and now heads Our Lady of Hope in the OCSP.
- St Augustine of Canterbury Carlsbad, CA: Thirty-five people were initially received. Seems to be holding its own, but not experiencing significant growth. [I counted 17 present for the photo of Msgr Newton's visit to the parish in February -- jb]
- St Barnabas, Omaha: left The Episcopal Church several years ago, but could not join the OCSP until it resolved a lawsuit over its building in 2013. About 50 people were received at that time. The group had to buy the building from the Episcopal diocese and has spent substantial money on repairs, so it must have significant resources.
Anyone who was formerly an Anglican of any sort, or a Methodist, or is the child or spouse of same, and becomes or has become a Catholic, can join. There is no test of one's "standing" in that denomination, as far as I know, and no distinction is made between "Canterbury" and "Continuing" Anglican. Anyone who entered the Catholic church from any background via an Ordinariate group can join, including someone who was baptised in a Catholic church but was not confirmed and/or did not receive First Communion. Of course the usual membership requirements for membership in any Catholic parish obtain, including sorting out any marriage issues, providing a baptismal certificate, etc. Someone raised a Catholic and currently in "good standing" but without Anglican family connections could of course attend and receive Communion; but they could not actually become members.The ordinariate site gives a slightly different version:
A person is eligible for membership if they, their spouse, or any member of their family is or ever has been Anglican, Episcopalian, Methodist, or AME. This applies even if the person or their spouse has already become a Roman Catholic. Catholics who are reconciled to the Church and those Catholics who will be completing their sacraments of initiation in an Ordinariate community are also eligible for membership.I'm not entirely sure what "reconciled to the Church" means in this context -- a google of the phrase simply brings up references to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. If it means someone who, after having received the sacraments of initiation into the Church, subsequently fell away but began returning to the Church in an Ordinariate community, that would seem reasonable, but I'm not sure if that's what it means. (I believe this would apply to several people who were intending to go into the Ordinariate via St Mary of the Angels in 2012.)
Again, corrections, clarifications, and updates are most welcome.
