On Sunday, December 31, 2023, His Excellency Bishop Dr. Raivo Kodanik celebrated Holy Mass at the Chapel of the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity of the Anglocatholic Church in Tallinn, Republic of Estonia.
Patriarch’s Chair next to altar at the Chapel in Tallinn
Altar at the Chapel of the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Tallinn, Estonia
A CHRISTMAS MESSAGE to the ANGLOCATHOLIC CHURCH 2023
In this was manifest the love of God toward us,
because that God sent His only-begotten Son into the world
that we might live through Him. 1 John 4.9
In the ancient liturgy of the Western Church, the antiphon for the Introit for
the Sunday after Christmas sets the tone for the day’s celebration. Words from the
Book of Wisdom 18. 14, 15 were chosen carefully to create a theological balance
between meditating upon the Lucan and Matthean pastoral tableaux set in an
outbuilding in Bethlehem, a place beyond the reality of everyday life where the
story of Christ’s birth unfolds in all its beauty accompanied by shepherds, eastern
sages and the songs of the heavenly angelic chorus, between that I suggest and
pondering in our hearts with Mary the eternal significance of this heavenly Child’s
birth. The deeply resonant text of the antiphon is a kind of reinterpretation of the
story of the first Passover celebration presented in the Book of Exodus set in the
midst of ‘ a land that is doomed. ‘ It reads :
In the midst of a silence that held all things,
as night in its swift course was half spent,
your almighty Word, O Lord,
leapt down from the heavenly throne and came among us.
The text places the divine birth in a pivotal role as the midpoint of history, as a
decisive heavenly intervention in the course of the unfolding narrative of a fallen
world in which, to borrow T. S. Elliot’s magnificent description in Choruses from
the Rock, ‘ where there were men, in their various ways, ‘ who ‘ struggled in
torment towards GOD. ‘ In the Exodus narrative, the leaping stern warrior is the
destroying angel who in the depths of night passes over the blood stained
doorposts of the Hebrews while working justice and destruction on their Egyptian
oppressors. In the birth of this Child upon whose shoulders rests the Father’s
authority, we recognize the new Angel Who comes in deepest night, the
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God and Prince of Peace, the One who makes the
Father known, visible through a work of revelation. The text from Wisdom is
saturated with imagery that contrasts light and darkness, life and death. The focus
rests on the ‘ Word ‘ that leaps down bringing light and life, dispelling darkness
and sin, Who, as suggests Elliot in the Four Quartets,/ Burnt Norton, is ‘ the still
point of the turning world. ‘
Dear friends, we may simply elect to celebrate this birth as a historical
memory, as a charming scene. We may choose to ponder its eternal significance
and salvific import. These both are desirable. However, I suggest that more is
needed from us. This birth in time of the timeless Son of God demands of us a
complimentary birth, a second birth. As He assumes our human nature, we must be
reborn in Him, we through grace must receive as gift a appropriate measure of His
divinity and cherish it as our most prized possession. Yet there must be more, for
Paul in Romans 8 . 17 teaches of a third birth, a birth this time as adoption by God
when we are led by the Spirit of God and conformed to the image of the Son. We
then cry joyfully as children of God “ Abba, Father. “ We are made heirs of God
and joint heirs with Christ not by our own merits but by Him who died and rose
again, He who is our Saviour. All this preparatory work takes place in the mansion
of the human heart, a heart that needs to be cleansed and made ready for these two
births, ready for so great a heavenly guest. The text of Psalm 77 suggests an
appropriate methodology. Note that this approach is tied again to the Exodus story,
a master narrative for the history of God’s saving love for fallen humankind.
In my heart I meditate in the night,
I exercise myself and sweep out my spirit. ……
Thou didst mightily deliver thy people,
even the sons of Jacob and Joseph. …
Thou leddest thy people like sheep, by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
Prepare your hearts then, sweep them clean, exercise your spirits that such a
mighty Guest may come and dwell with you, may share with you that peace that
passes understanding. Offer your heart to the newborn Son of God, for
The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us
and we beheld His glory,
the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father,
full of grace and truth. John 1 . 14
Patriarch His Beatitude Lord Dr. Heigo Ritsbek, MA, MDiv, DMin, LittD, DD
Tallinn Patriarchate of the Anglocatholic Church
Tallinn Anglocatholic Cathedral worships at the former sacristy of Saint Catherine’s Church (from 1247 !) of the Dominican Monastery. The church remained ruins at the Reformation time. Here is the reconstruction of Saint Catherine’s church of Dominican Monastery before the Reformation.
The Patriarch of the Anglocatholic Church
Ministry of Bishop Avio Ongang Cyprien, Dip.Th., in the Diocese of Saint Athanasius of the Anglocatholic Church in Democratic Republic of Congo, West Africa.
His Eminence, The Most Reverend Dr. James Christian Macaire Miafouanandi, D.D., Primate of All Africa of the Anglocatholic Church and Metropolitan Archbishop of The Archdiocese of Saint Sagasse Divine of The Anglocatholic Church with the serving clergy and acolytes after the Holy First Advent Mass in the Republic of Congo, Africa.
Christ the King Sunday Mass at Saint Christopher parish in Nsele Village. Father Victor Matomina serves in this parish in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Dear Members of the Clergy of the Anglocatholic Church,
On Sunday, November 26, 2023, we reach the conclusion of the liturgical year with the feast of Christ the King. On December 3, we officially enter the season of Advent, a period of penance, waiting, and hope. It is also a time when we see the streets of cities illuminated, symbolizing the hope of the approaching Nativity—the announcement of the Messiah’s coming to save us.
As we reflect on the past year, we sadly observe that year after year, the people of God are increasingly moving away from their Creator who loves them so much. “For God so loved the world that he sent his Son to save us from our sins and give us eternal life through faith in him” (John 3:16).
We also recall the parable of Jesus, Matthew 13:24-30, about the good seed and the weeds. God, always allowing humanity the freedom to make its own choices, has allowed the enemy to spread weeds among the good seed. What is this weed that chokes the good seed today? It can easily be found in human indifference, selfishness, lack of charity, fear of others, hatred, terrorist acts, and more. Furthermore, the ease and personal interest without wanting to make an effort have become fashionable. This destructive weed even leads to the desertion of the duties of a Christian to worship God.
Last October, when I took a few days off, providence led me to Saint Laurent sur Sèvres, in France, where the basilica of Saint Louis Mary Grignon of Monfort is located. He wrote the treatise on true devotion to the Most Blessed Virgin Mary. After talking to someone from the presbytery, I learned that currently, only a third of the people attend Mass on Sundays, whereas a few years ago, this edifice was filled… And the same observation is made everywhere… The weed also affects the institutional Church. Indeed, the lack of vocations is increasingly felt. This is the consequence of this de-Christianization where baptism is almost no longer performed, leading to ignorance of God’s existence and salvation for humanity. The good seed, meaning the word of truth, the divine law, nowadays struggles to take root in hearts.
However, even though these current times may seem so dark, we, the true servants, must not be discouraged or dismayed. We have chosen and must assume the mission we have accepted. Like the tireless evangelizers, the apostles, we must maintain this total trust in God who knows and controls everything, even if it doesn’t seem that way; He will always have the final say.
Therefore, during this upcoming Advent season where we will hear again the texts of Isaiah about the coming of the Messiah, we must pray a lot for ourselves, for our respective functions, at our different levels, to remain at peace in our hearts by accepting these events, staying in full communion with each other, and remaining steadfast in the faith of our Fathers while advancing according to the rhythm and will of God. Let us not forget Jesus’ words: “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:38). For us, it must be the same: to live in this world but not as from this world.
May the thrice-holy God bless you all.
Amen.
THIS WALL CALENDAR HAS BEEN SENT OUT TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE COLLEGE OF BISHOPS OF THE ANGLOCATHOLIC CHURCH
The Wall Calendar of The Anglocatholic Church of 2024 is in preparation. When we have it – every month has its own photo, then we will send it free of charge to all Members of The College of Bishops of The Anglocatholic Church. The Membership of the College of Bishops is counted as the end of each third month of the year, so next time December 31, 2023. And it is connected with the donation to the Patriarch Fund.
VATICAN DECLARATION ON THE UNICITY AND SALVIFIC UNIVERSALITY OF JESUS CHRIST AND THE CHURCH DECLARATION OF THE CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH Rome, August 6, 2000
IV UNICITY AND UNITY OF THE CHURCH
This same inseparability is also expressed in the New Testament by the analogy of the Church as the Bride of Christ (cf. 2 Cor 11:2; Eph 5:25-29; Rev 21:2,9). The Catholic faithful are required to profess that there is an historical continuity — rooted in the apostolic succession — between the Church founded by Christ and the Catholic Church: “This is the single Church of Christ… which our Saviour, after his resurrection, entrusted to Peter’s pastoral care (cf. Jn 21:17), commissioning him and the other Apostles to extend and rule her (cf. Mt 28:18ff.), erected for all ages as ‘the pillar and mainstay of the truth’ (1 Tim3:15). This Church, constituted and organized as a society in the present world, subsists in [subsistit in] the Catholic Church, governed by the Successor of Peter and by the Bishops in communion with him”. With the expression subsistit in, the Second Vatican Council sought to harmonize two doctrinal statements: on the one hand, that the Church of Christ, despite the divisions which exist among Christians, continues to exist fully only in the Catholic Church, and on the other hand, that “outside of her structure, many elements can be found of sanctification and truth”, that is, in those Churches and ecclesial communities which are not yet in full communion with the Catholic Church. But with respect to these, it needs to be stated that “they derive their efficacy from the very fullness of grace and truth entrusted to the Catholic Church”.
The Churches which, while not existing in perfect communion with the Catholic Church, remain united to her by means of the closest bonds, that is, by apostolic succession and a valid Eucharist, are true particular Churches. Therefore, the Church of Christ is present and operative also in these Churches, even though they lack full communion with the Catholic Church, since they do not accept the Catholic doctrine of the Primacy, which, according to the will of God, the Bishop of Rome objectively has and exercises over the entire Church.
On the other hand, the ecclesial communities which have not preserved the valid Episcopate and the genuine and integral substance of the Eucharistic mystery, are not Churches in the proper sense; however, those who are baptized in these communities are, by Baptism, incorporated in Christ and thus are in a certain communion, albeit imperfect, with the Church. Baptism in fact tends per se toward the full development of life in Christ, through the integral profession of faith, the Eucharist, and full communion in the Church. “The Christian faithful are therefore not permitted to imagine that the Church of Christ is nothing more than a collection — divided, yet in some way one — of Churches and ecclesial communities; nor are they free to hold that today the Church of Christ nowhere really exists, and must be considered only as a goal which all Churches and ecclesial communities must strive to reach”. In fact, “the elements of this already-given Church exist, joined together in their fullness in the Catholic Church and, without this fullness, in the other communities”. “Therefore, these separated Churches and communities as such, though we believe they suffer from defects, have by no means been deprived of significance and importance in the mystery of salvation. For the spirit of Christ has not refrained from using them as means of salvation which derive their efficacy from the very fullness of grace and truth entrusted to the Catholic Church”.
The lack of unity among Christians is certainly a wound for the Church; not in the sense that she is deprived of her unity, but “in that it hinders the complete fulfilment of her universality in history”.
The Sovereign Pontiff John Paul II, at the Audience of June 16, 2000, granted to the undersigned Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, with sure knowledge and by his apostolic authority, ratified and confirmed this Declaration, adopted in Plenary Session and ordered its publication.
Rome, from the Offices of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, August 6, 2000, the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord.
Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Prefect
Important parts of the document for our, The Anglocatholic Church, from this document are made bold by us, His Beatitude Patriarch Lord Dr. Heigo Ritsbek, The Anglocatholic Church
