February 22, 2012. (Romereports.com) Former Anglicans who joined the Catholic Church under the first Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham, are visiting Rome. About 100 of them, saw the Pope for the first time after being welcomed into the Church, under the only ordinariate of its kind in the United Kingdom. It was officially established on January 15th 2011. 


Msgr. Keith Newton
Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham
“Well I had been an Anglican priest for over 30 years and throughout that time I hoped and prayed for union with the Catholic Church. And so when the Holy Father offered the possibility of bringing groups of Anglicans in communion  with the Church we just responded to it as the most natural thing to do because in our heart we wanted to be in communion with the Holy See.”

The group decided to visit Rome to deepen its Apostolic, Roman and Catholic roots and also to pray for future Ordinariates.

Msgr. Keith Newton
Regular Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham
“I brought, about almost 100 people to Rome in order to give thanks, to pray at the tombs of the apostles, to give thanks to the Holy Father for this initiative that allows us to become Catholics and to pray for the future of the Ordinariates in England in Wales and also in United States of America where they have just begun.”

Albert Murkin
“We feel as if we've come home. Now that we have joined the Ordinariate and are part of the Roman Catholic Church, we are back at home, where we should be.”

They traveled from the UK to Rome. They say it was well worth it. During their visit they made it a point to see the Pope during his weekly general audience.

Ann Murkin
“No, we were here before about eight years ago, with our old Church, the Church of England. And then we came back for this thanksgiving and it has been lovely.”

Their trip will only last six days, but they say it will be quite memorable. It marks the first time they've prayed before the tomb of St. Peter, as members of the Catholic Church.


BR/KLH
AM
GDP
PR