UPDATE: These plans have changed. There will be no Symposium in November 2019. Stay tuned for new arrangements.

Greetings from Rome, where I have met with the priest at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) who is organizing the Symposium Nov. 4-8, 2019 in Rome to mark the 10th anniversary of Anglicanorum coetibus, Pope Benedict XVI’s Apostolic Constitution that established Personal Ordinariates for former Anglicans wishing for full communion with the Catholic Church.

We met at CDF’s imposing palace.

An American priest, Fr. Walter Oxley, met me at the door.

Here’s a better picture of him near the rail to the interior courtyard.

Here’s the courtyard.

We had a great conversation about the upcoming Symposium. Details will be emerging in the next few weeks, to watch this spot. There will be no fee for attending this event, which will include a papal audience.

There is a travel agent in Rome who has block- booked some hotel rooms for those who are coming. The Anglicanorum Coetibus Society will be working with her to host a reception on Monday, Nov. 4, to highlight the fellowship aspect of our patrimony. We will see about having gin and tonic on offer! Perhaps sherry, wine and some finger food.

After I have communicated with the travel agent, I will release more details on what to do if you want to book a room.

This is going to be a wonderful time for people from all three Ordinariates to gather for a pilgrimage to Rome. There will be beautiful liturgies highlighting our Anglican patrimony, including Masses at St. Peter’s Altar of the Chair of Peter; at St. Mary Major, a beautiful Marian Basilica; and at St. Gregory’s, because it was Pope Gregory who commissioned St. Augustine to go minister to the English.

Here is the Altar of the Chair of St. Peter inside St. Peter’s Basilica where one of our Divine Worship Masses will be celebrated.