Who Are They Trying To Kid?

I was curious about the property that the Church of the Presentation in Woodlands, TX announced that they'd agreed to acquire, but thanks to the link, I went to the listing. This is it, 3,000 square feet, three bedrooms, three baths, a remarkably nice place:

But naturally, this isn't suited for conversion to faux gothic with a fancy reredos. It took me a little while to recognize that this is actually a residence for the group's priest, and the "Church of the Presentation" is to move out of its acoustic-tile chapel and become a home church. I assume masses will be held in a glorified front parlor, probably without a reredos, linen or wood, much less stone.

My regular correspondent filled in additional details.

Fr Fletcher doesn't have a diocesan day job; he's a Parochial Vicar of Our Lady of Walsingham, which given its membership (ASA 1000+) and mass schedule (Saturday Vigil and four Sunday masses, plus daily mass) needs more than one priest, I assume. Initially there were three priests-in-residence besides the Pastor, now Dean, but they seem to have faded out of the picture. Presumably someone put up significant cash for this Woodlands spin-off, which wasn't necessarily the Ordinariate's first priority.

This leads me down other paths. Home churches are a feature of "continuing" Anglican denominations -- but let's get real, those home churches don't grow, they only get smaller and smaller until they just drop off the list of parishes in their "continuing" sect. This is not, repeat not, a journey beginning with a single step. It's a dodge that will justify giving a lightly-burdened new associate a 3,000 square foot house.

And there's not much Catholic about it at all -- the Catholic priesthood is a sacrifice. Instead, this guy's being treated like a socially prominent young Episcopal priest on the rise -- what, did he go to St Paul's before Yale and Nashotah House (and by the way, he's married to the bishop's daughter)? Must be something like that with Fr Fletcher here, mutatis mutandis. Apparently some OCSP priests fly first class, while others are in the baggage compartment with the pets.

Regarding how the masses will break out in Houston, my correspondent reports,

Presentation has mass at 8 am and 10 am. This would make Fr Fletcher only available for the Saturday Vigil Mass at OLW, and/or the mass Sunday at 6 pm. Presumably Fr Kramer and Fr Perkins help out at OLW, as well as the bishop, when he's around, but I think Fr Fletcher's title of Parochial Vicar means he's on the payroll.

Regarding another ongoing "parish" dodge, my regular correspondent reports,

I see that John Henry Newman will be officially declared a saint October 13, which means only a few short months to find 30+ families/100+ Ordinariate members on the rolls of a community-in-formation which holds two Sunday masses in a rented chapel which seats 65. Celebrated, normally, by a supply priest, the PA being otherwise occupied.

The weirdness gets weirder and weirder.