Anglicans Can Somehow Become Catholic Without Anglicanorum Coetibus!

It should be no surprise to regular visitors that I'm on several of Bp Barron's e-mail lists. Last week I received this announcement from his Word on Fire Institute:

Meet the new Venerable Fulton J. Sheen Fellow of Popular Culture at the Word on Fire Institute

Oxford and Yale Educated Former Episcopal Priest Andrew Petiprin Contemplates Catholicism and Popular Culture for the Word on Fire Institute

Petiprin, the Venerable Fulton J. Sheen Fellow of Popular Culture, analyzes media through the lenses of philosophy and theology

[Irving, TX] – The Word on Fire Institute, the arm of Bishop Robert Barron’s apostolate focused on educational and evangelistic formation, is pleased to highlight the work and accomplishments of its Fellows. Each Fellow brings unique gifts and a track record of noteworthy service in the fields of theology, apologetics, cultural renewal, and more. Andrew Petiprin’s work is shaped by his pastoral heart and his admiration for great art as found in literature, movies, and music.

Andrew Petiprin is the Venerable Fulton J. Sheen Fellow of Popular Culture. He earned a master’s degree in European literature as a Marshall Scholar at Magdalen College, Oxford, and then received another master’s degree at Yale Divinity School. He served for over nine years in ordained ministry in the Episcopal Church before joining the Catholic Church in 2019. He published Truth Matters: Knowing God and Yourself in 2018 with New Growth Press, and has written for The Catholic Herald, National Catholic Register, The Living Church, and Evangelization & Culture: The Journal of the Word on Fire Institute. In his role, Petiprin will produce written content and courses that analyze the Catholic integration of popular culture and evangelization.

Archbishop Fulton Sheen was a savvy observer of culture and a prophetic voice. He combined intellect and charisma to become a master of modern media. Petiprin stated, “Fulton Sheen wasn’t a disconnected commentator or an aloof analyst. This man of the Church took up space within the public square to convert the world and transform the culture. I want to follow his example by engaging with things in popular culture that touch upon life in both its brokenness and fullness, and thereby point to hope in the kingdom of God. I’m honored to have the fearless and winsome Archbishop Sheen as the patron of my fellowship.”

While Bp Barron clearly venerates Joseph Ratzinger as a theologian, he seldom if ever mentions Benedict XVI's apostolic constitution Anglicanorum coetibus, and here his foundation introduces an Episcopalian convert to Cstholicism without any reference to the Church's provision for such people. Will Petiprin be working out of Irving, TX? Will he be attending any of the Divine Worship masses available in that area? Will he become part of any ordinariate community?

I suspect that if he did, it would basically be beside the point. I get the impression that if he and Bp Barron are speaking of Archbishop Sheen, it's because they're facing outward toward society at large, not inward toward a retro thee-thou liturgy. But if Petiprin shows up at an ordinariate mass, I'd love to hear of it.

For that matter, I wish I could chat privately and off the record with Bp Barron about the ordinariates. Except that the last time I mentioned Anglicanorum coetibus to a diocesan priest, all I got was a quizzical expressiom. I have a feeling that Bp Bsrron and Mr Petiprin are too busy evangelizing to have much to say about it.