Deacon Mike D'Agostino went through diaconate training with Deacon Orr, both were ordained at the same time. To my knowledge Deacon D'Agostino is a cradle Catholic not a convert. He is married with two daughters. He is a retired Lt. Colonel from the US Army. I think he came to OLOTA not long after leaving seminary. He is very reverent and his sermons are spirit filled and uplifting. He has served OLOTA in many capacities.Another visitor pointed out that although yesterday's post carried an account from a visitor whose experience was that Fr Phillips simply made him Catholic once he signed a declaration of faith, there has also been a regular class for Episcopalian inquirers and Catholics wishing to brush up on their faith.Fr. Jeffery Moore was ordained an Episcopal priest. Very soon after his ordination he came to OLOTA and converted to the Catholic Church. . . . . He is truly one of these with one foot firmly in the Episcopal church and one foot in the Catholic Church. Fr. Phillips had tried to get him involved with Tenebrae, the Latin Mass and other activities in the parish. I am not sure, but he may teach a class at OLOTA school.
It occurred to me that January 2020 will mark three full years since Abp Garcia-Siller began the Time of Troubles at OLA, removing Fr Phillips and setting in turn a train of events including transfer of the parish to the North American ordinariate, partial restoration of Fr Phillips. partial removal of Fr Phillips, complete re-removal of Fr Phillips, and so on. It's interesting that the continuing years-long Phillips drama has kept the spotlight almost completely off the other clergy in the parish.
And another visitor suggests the Phillips drama isn't over yet:
I am betting that early in the new year a "lift the ban on Fr Phillips" campaign will arise. I have heard that there are some who are not happy about the situation.I replied that I found this a bit astonishing,
I would think that with the holidays intervening, there’d be a loss of momentum. And what gets me is the tendency for as long as I’ve been hearing about this is for people to be disillusioned with Fr Phillips. How many true believers are left?The visitor replied,
I think there are still many true believers and some feel the Latin Mass removal was planned with Fr. Phillips's removal. To be fair, many had a devotion, not only to the Latin Mass but other devotions that have ceased as Fr. Phillips was sidelined. They feel they weren't dealt with straightforwardly and the transition into the Ordinariate has been one of taking things away. People feel disaffected.I would think a contributing factor here has been the demonstrated willingness of Bp Lopes to temporize. If the parish senses they can push him, they'll at least try.
