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August 30, 2021Originally published Aug. 6. Updated Aug. 30 with new information.
Bishop Steven J. Lopes is this year’s keynote speaker at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast held in Washington, D.C. on September 14, the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, at the Marriot Marquis hotel. EWTN is broadcasting the event live.
Bishop Lopes, who is bishop for the Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter, a Roman Catholic diocese with Anglican traditions established by Benedict XVI’s 2009 apostolic constitution Anglicanorum coetibus, is also celebrating the Monday Sept. 13th 5:30 p.m. Vigil Mass at the St. John Paul II National Shrine for the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast. The bishop will celebrate the Vigil Mass for the Exaltation of the Holy Cross according to Divine Worship: The Missal, the Ordinariate use of Roman Rite, promulgated by Pope Francis in 2015.
"Clearly part of the Roman Rite, Divine Worship also accommodates language, ritual, and gestures that express the Anglican liturgical tradition, albeit now in full communion with the Catholic Church," NCPB organizers stated. A worship aid will be provided to all attendees. While no tickets are required for this Divine Worship Mass, NCPB organizers encouraged people to RSVP for planning purposes.
A VIP reception at that location will be held after the Vigil Mass from 6:30 – 8:30 PM.The National Catholic Prayer Breakfast will provide significant exposure for the Ordinariate to more than 1,000 Catholic leaders who gather for the prayerful event in D.C. Organizers provided a biography of Bishop Lopes, which reads in part:
“In 2005, he was named an official of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, the Vatican office responsible for promoting and preserving Catholic teaching. For seven of his 10-plus years at the Vatican, he served as secretary to the Cardinal Prefect.
Pope Francis named him the Bishop of the Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter on Nov. 24, 2015. Founded in 2012, the Ordinariate is a non-territorial diocese with the particular mission of unity among Christians. The Ordinariate parishes have come into full communion with the Catholic Church from the Episcopal/Anglican tradition, and continue to bring that rich patrimony of English Catholicism to new fruitfulness.”
Since his ordination as bishop on February 2, 2016, Bishop Lopes has led the Ordinariate with a focus on Pope Francis's vision of "missionary discipleship." The bishop has expertize in Eucharistic theology, and has championed the Ordinariate as living out Vatican II's vision both of ecumenism realized and Catholic ecclesial life.
The National Catholic Prayer Breakfast main event begins at the Mariott Marquis hotel in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, Sept. 14th at 6 a.m. when doors open. The program begins at 7 a.m. and will involve a presentation of the Christifideles Laici Award, which is meant to honor those who serve the Church well, followed by a special recognition of the Sisters of Life. Catholic evangelist and author, Jeff Cavins, will also speak before Bishop Lopes gives his keynote address to the assembly.The program concludes at 9 a.m. with an invitation to join Holy Mass in the hotel at 9:45 a.m.
The full program details can be found here. Registration information can be found here.
Peter Jesserer Smith is vice-president and webmaster of the Anglicanorum Coetibus Society.
