As many of you will already know, the opposition was awarded possession of the church and cottage. We all know the enormous injustice that this is. But this is not to place to recite it. From this Sunday, July 29, until further arrangements are made, the Ordinariate-bound Congregation of St. Mary of the Angels will gather at Our Mother of Good Counsel RC Church, at the corner of N. Vermont Avenue & Ambrose, in Los Feliz/Hollywood, for the 10am Mass. We do this with the blessing and encouragement of Archbishop Hepworth, and the Vicar General of the Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter (OCSP), the Very Rev'd Fr. Timothy Perkins, in Houston. Fr Tom Davis, OSA, and Fr James Mott, OSA, the parish's chief pastor, welcome us. I have spoken to them, & had the pleasure of showing Fr Davis our new Missal. (He was clearly impressed!)It is certainly generous of Frs Mott and Davis, Fr Perkins, and Abp Gomez, to make this provision. It's also encouraging to see this sudden forward progress toward receiving the parish into the OCSP. If Fr Kelley can be ordained, as seems to be implied here, this is an enormous step.Let us seek one another out, & worship in close proximity, & meet together afterwards, to retain our fellowship & identity. This is important for our future. And cease not in prayer! It may open up many new avenues of Grace. As the Abbess says to Maria, in The Sound of Music, "When God closes a door, He opens a window."
We expect that in the near time, the Congregation will be received into the Ordinariate, and I will be re-ordained. Until that time, please observe a Eucharistic Fast. Under Roman Canon Law, until we are received, we are not permitted to receive Communion. (It was that way in the Episcopal Church when I was a youth!) So let us courteously observe their rules: "When in Rome..." (Some prior rumors to the contrary were found not to be true. We must beware of unsupported rumors.) I will inquire of Fr Tom whether we approach to receive a blessing, or not. Stay tuned.
With the consent of the clergy of Our Mother of Good Counsel [OMGC], it may then be possible that we might be granted a regular time for our Ordinariate Missal Mass. This could then attract others, for our corporate growth.. Please share the relevant information with others to let them know we will not "disappear." We go forward in Christ, our Savior, our God, our Strength. As St. Padre Junipero Serra said, "Adelante!" --Forward, not backward!
Fr Christopher P. Kelley+
It's unfortunate to see the property lost, but one of my concerns for a while has been that the St Mary of the Angels plant isn't well suited to serve as a Catholic facility. Parking is limited, and the capacity of the nave and chapel is too small. It's Anglo-Catholic, which is fine in and of itself, but it isn't really Catholic.
The last I knew, the 10 AM mass at OMGC had lost its choir. I'm wondering if the choir that had been at St Mary of the Angels could somehow move to the 10 AM mass at OMGC.
On balance, I think this is really wonderful news. Fr Kelley and the parish have my prayers and congratulations.
