Through the Ordinariate, many formerly Anglican priests have been able to become Catholic priests and gone on to minister within the Catholic Church. This is the case for married former Anglican priests too, who have been able to be ordained as Catholic priests as married men.
For an Anglican priest to begin this process, they must first become Catholic through the Ordinariate and then petition Rome to become a Catholic priest.
The Catholic priesthood is quite different from the Anglican priesthood and all former Anglican priests who become Catholic have to go on to realise their vocation in the context of the Catholic Church.
Through the Ordinariate, these men are then formed for the Catholic priesthood, are ordained by Catholic bishops and go on to serve as Catholic priests.
This is always a challenging and emotive journey and we are here to support and accompany men through this process.
‘Almighty Father, we give you thanks for the years of faithful ministry of your servants in the Anglican communion, whose fruitfulness for salvation has been derived from the very fullness of grace and truth entrusted to the Catholic Church. As your servants have been received into full communion and now seek to be ordained to the presbyterate in the Catholic church, we beseech you to bring to fruition that for which we now pray. Through Jesus Christ our Lord.’
Prayer from the ordination of a priest to the Ordinariate
Formerly ordained Anglican priests first have to become Catholic through ordinariate before they can and then petition for ordination. To make this first step, you should find your local Ordinariate community.
In the instance of married clergy, in every case, a personal individual dispensation from celibacy must be requested and received from the Pope.
This would not be a full seminary process but it would take place at a Catholic seminary.
This formation usually takes a minimum of two to three years and takes the shape of part-time study, often two days a week.
This time of formation would include a number of courses that cover essentials that Anglican clergy would not have received prior formation on, such as Catholic Canon Law and moral theology.
Part of this formation would also be spending time with a spiritual director who would accompany you throughout your formation journey.
After priestly formation comes ordination. This ordination would be performed by a Catholic bishop who would ordain this candidate as a Catholic priest who would go on to serve the faithful.
