the Spring

Ordinariate Life

"Yes, we are small; yes, we bring distinctive patrimony – but we are most definitely mainstream!"

July 18, 2026

Dear Brothers and Sisters, most of you will know that earlier this year I had the great privilege of meeting with Pope Leo...

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Most of you will know that earlier this year I had the great privilege of meeting with Pope Leo. During the audience, the Holy Father expressed an interest in the journey in faith which had led us into the Ordinariate; this provided the opportunity to explain that we had not been driven by particular issues (e.g. female ordination; issues of sexuality; liturgical difficulties), we had been driven by our realisation that we needed to be in communion with the successor of St Peter. The issues confronting us in the Church of England were symptoms of an ecclesial life out of communion with the Catholic Church. Unless this is understood, the Ordinariate itself will be misunderstood. It is not an escape from a ghetto in the Church of England into a new ghetto in the Catholic Church. The Ordinariate is not a fringe group with slightly weird or extreme ideas. Our coming into the fullness of Communion was based on our acceptance of the Church's doctrine as set out in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Yes, we are small; yes, we bring distinctive patrimony – but we are most definitely mainstream! We are part of that glorious communion which is the Church.

As I write, the We Believe festival is 10 days away. I know many of you will be coming and I look forward to seeing you there. The festival is a great gathering of Catholics from all over the country representing a significant range of groups and individuals. And yet We Believe does not feel like an assembly of differing bodies – it is a vibrant event where folk engage with one another and rejoice in the worship, prayer and mission of the one Church of which we are all members.

It is good that the Ordinariate is at We Believe, both to tell its own particular story and to be alongside others in celebrating a common faith and mission. That is the same faith and mission that is lived out by God's faithful people up and down our country, day by day. The life of the Ordinariate and its local groups is nothing less than a sharing in the life and witness of the Universal Church as she celebrates, and proclaims with great joy, the good news of Jesus Christ.

As your Bishop, I have the immense joy and privilege of seeing our very different communities in action. Each is a place where people are faithful in prayer and worship; engaging in the mission of the Church. Most are seeing growth, both through converts but also through those of no faith background coming to faith through the mission of the Ordinariate. It is always good when we can come together at national or regional events and share our stories.

In the Ordinariate we most definitely “travel light” in terms of a central or administrative structure. Partly this is because of our size and financial limitations but it is also about our priorities. The “centre” must never be an impersonal place full of red tape. I am very grateful to those who give generously of their time assisting with important roles which serve the wider mission of the Ordinariate. Often they perform thankless tasks but without them we would not be able to function as smoothly as we do. This month I want to express my particular thanks to two of our Episcopal Vicars, who are standing down after significant and generous service: Fr Michael Halsall and Fr Paul Burch.

Fr Michael has served as Vicar for Vocations and Formation. He has done considerable work in supporting our seminarians and developing our relationship with Allan Hall. He has also established a series of evening conferences for clergy and laity.

Fr Paul has served as Vicar for Evangelisation. He has done considerable work addressing a broken communications system and led us through a period of discernment with regard to online priorities. I am particular grateful to Fr Paul for the way he has handled some difficult and complex situations.

Very soon I hope to be able to share news of replacements for Frs Michael and Paul, with slightly different structure and workloads, to best serve us all as a Particular Church, active in small missionary groups, proclaiming the Gospel to a needy world.

With prayers and blessings – I look forward to seeing some of you at We Believe.

+ Bishop David

07 Jul 26

Statement regarding Deacon Robert Smith

15 Jun 26

Into Full Communion: Joanna Bogle to Launch New Book on the Ordinariate

Into Full Communion: Joanna Bogle to Launch New Book on the Ordinariate at the WeBelieve Festival

A new book by Joanna Bogle invites festival-goers to discover the Ordinariate’s remarkable story, from its roots in the search for Christian unity to its mission in the Church today.

This year’s WeBelieve Festival will include a special celebration for the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham, as Catholic writer and historian Joanna Bogle launches her new book, Into Full Communion, marking the 15th anniversary of the Ordinariate’s foundation.

The book tells the story of the Ordinariate: its origins, its place within the Catholic Church, and the remarkable journey by which former Anglicans have brought the treasures of their patrimony into full communion with Rome.

For those new to the Ordinariate, this is a story worth discovering. Established by Pope Benedict XVI, the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham provides a home within the Catholic Church for Anglicans entering full communion, while preserving and sharing the spiritual, liturgical, musical, and pastoral traditions that have formed them.

For Joanna, the story is not only historical, but personal.

“I became involved with the Ordinariate in the early days,” she explains, “partly through my friendship with Joan Lewis of EWTN’s Joan’s Rome.”

When the Ordinariate was first announced by Pope Benedict XVI, Joan came to London to cover the story and asked Joanna, “as an English Catholic, to explain the background.”

That background, Joanna says, “goes back a longish way” - through ecumenical ventures in the 1920s, the long and often prayerful search for Christian unity, and more recent events in the life of the Church of England.

As the Ordinariate began to take shape, Joanna came to know the South London Ordinariate group and became increasingly involved in the whole project. When the Ordinariate came to fruition, she began attending Precious Blood Church at London Bridge, where she remains a regular at the 11am Sunday Mass in the Ordinariate Form.

Fifteen years on, she sees the Ordinariate as a continuing gift to the wider Church.

“I believe the Ordinariate is a sign of hope and a realistic way ahead,” she says, “bringing some wonderful gifts of Anglican heritage and traditions to the wider Catholic Church.”

That sense of hope will be at the heart of the book launch at WeBelieve.

The launch will take place on Saturday 25th July at 17:30 in the Vianney Garden, a beautiful walled garden beside the College Museum. The event will begin with a short drinks reception, followed by a conversation hosted by Joanna with Bishop David Waller and guests. Together, they will explore the Ordinariate’s origins, mission, and contribution to the life of the Church today. There will also be time for questions, and copies of the book will be available.

The Ordinariate’s presence at WeBelieve is a wonderful opportunity to gather with the wider Church, celebrate 15 years of life and mission, and share this remarkable story with those who may be encountering it for the first time.

Whether you are already part of an Ordinariate community, curious about its place in the Catholic Church, or simply interested in the story of Christian unity in Britain, this promises to be a joyful and thought-provoking evening.

We warmly encourage Ordinariate members, friends, families, and all those interested in our mission to come along!

Discover the Festival here

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