The Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham, established by Pope Benedict in 2011, is a structure, similar to a diocese, which allows former Anglicans who wish to enter into the full communion of the Catholic Church to do so, whilst retaining much of their heritage and traditions. There are currently about 40 Ordinariate groups across the country and more than 80 former Anglican clergy have become Catholic priests through the Ordinariate.
We exist to promote the unity of all Christians with the Apostolic See, and faithfully to proclaim the Gospel through the rich treasures of our traditions.
The Ordinariate is therefore a fully integrated part of the Catholic Church, with a particular responsibility and care for those who have entered the full communion of the Church from Anglican backgrounds. There are also Ordinariates in the USA and Canada (The Chair of St Peter) and in Australia (Our Lady of the Southern Cross).
For all information, news and updates about the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham, please see the official website here:
About the Ordinariate
We are goverened by the Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum Coetibus, of 2009. In some ways, we are like a diocese, in that we have an Ordinary (the equivalent of a diocesan bishop), priests and religious. Our Ordinary is a member of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference, and we play a full part in the life of the church in this country.
In other ways, we’re like a religious order: we don’t have geographical boundaries in the way a diocese does, and our lay members live all over the country, rather like tertiary, or third-order members of the Dominicans or Carmelites. Like some religious orders, we have our own patterns of worship, and many of our clergy are active in diocesan parishes as well as working within the Ordinariate.
Membership of the Ordinariate is described at the link above, but any Catholic may join us for our worship, just as they would if they were visiting a different diocese from their own, or went into a church looked after by Benedictines, Oratorians, Norbertines, Jesuits, etc., etc….
Oxford Ordinariate Mission 