The idea of a men’s fellowship for study and prayer began as a conversation between a couple of members of the Ordinariate community of Saint John Henry Newman, Victoria. Word of mouth, a poster, and a few invitations that were placed at the entrance to the church have helped get the word out to interested men.
If you’ll permit a pun, the Littlemore Fellowship offers men the opportunity to explore the Faith a little more. The name of this apostolic work, The Littlemore Fellowship, was suggested by our pastor, Fr Lee Kenyon, who is also our chaplain. The goal of the Fellowship, first and foremost, is to dispose men to God’s grace to grow in holiness and to better serve the Ordinariate mission to evangelize and invite others into unity with Christ and His Church.
Immersed in the genius of the Anglican Patrimony, the liturgical, spiritual, pastoral, and theological traditions that are consistent with Catholic faith and practice, the Littlemore Fellowship is an opportunity for us to enrich our understanding of how, in the midst of our immediate circumstances throughout the liturgical year, to better live the Faith with integrity and zeal for the salvation of souls.
We are very fortunate to be able to draw upon the experience of Monsignor Peter D. Wilkinson, consultor to the Anglicanae Traditiones Interdicasterial Commission and former bishop of the Anglican Catholic Church of Canada (TAC), a member of our community. If the Patrimony is people, then Monsignor Wilkinson represents well the living Patrimony. We are thoroughly grateful for his presence in our community.
As The Anglican Patrimony in Catholic Communion: the Gift of the Ordinariates states, “the Anglican Patrimony is a lived reality, a culture, and an ethos ‘that runs through the entire life of the Personal Ordinariates.’” We acknowledge, again, that the Anglican Patrimony is ecumenical; evangelical, oriented to evangelization; liturgical, biblical, and public as embodied in the texts of Divine Worship including the Missal, the Occasional Services, and the Daily Office; spiritual, pastoral, and theological. The Patrimony we have inherited and celebrate “expresses the virtue of religion as a way of life and beauty in worship.”
The Littlemore Fellowship aims to help men discover that living Patrimony through the writings, music, architecture, and art of its exemplars. For example:
Much of the above list is likely familiar to readers of The Anglican Patrimony in Catholic Communion: the Gift of the Ordinariates.
The Littlemore Fellowship will be a monthly gathering whereby we can further embrace and develop skills and approaches needed for Ordinariate treasures to be shared. “Convener” is our term for someone who coordinates a meeting place, refreshments, and who organizes the presentation of a topic. A meeting typically proceeds as follows:
Conviviality is a hallmark of the Ordinariate experience. The hospitality we share after Mass, which is a vital support to living a Eucharistic life, is sustained in the Fellowship by situating gatherings in the homes of members.
Our co-patrons are Our Lady of Walsingham and Saint John Henry Newman, upon whose intercession we rely for assistance to “worship God in the beauty of holiness.” (Ps. 96:9).
A version of this article first appeared in the ACS e-magazine St Peter's Rambler.
Wendell Clanton is an instituted acolyte in the Ordinariate of the Chair of St Peter, and a parishioner of St John Henry Newman Catholic Church in Victoria, British Columbia.