As many of you may know, Fr. Phillips, founder of Our Lady of the Atonement in San Antonio, the first “Anglican Use” parish in the United States, has been removed for a period of “discernment.”  I am not privy to inside information except that which is in the public and on the internet.  I do know of the desire of Fr. Phillips and of the parish to be a part of the Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter.  That is also public knowledge.  Our Lady of the Atonement, along with Our Lady of Walsingham in Houston (now the Cathedral of the Ordinariate), and a few years later St. Mary the Virgin, were those Texas-based “Anglican Use” parishes that aggrieved Episcopalian people like me, from afar, looked on with great interest and hope. It is sad and somehow not right that the situation has come to this.  There is a website offering some information on this situation and I offer it in the name of charity: http://saveatonement.org/
 
We must pray.  That is what we Catholics do. On that website they invite all to pray a Novena to St. John Paul II.  Each day’s reflection is included and I invite everyone to ask for St. John Paul II to intercede and offer a path of reconciliation and reparation in this situation, which is “grievous unto us.”  The opening prayer for the Novena is included below.
 
Let us pray: Merciful God, accept our thanksgiving For the gift of St. John Paul’s II apostolic life and mission
And through his intercession, please, GRANT US THIS PETITION for your servant, Father Christopher George
Phillips, to be returned to shepherd the flock you have entrusted to his loving care and guidance, the people at
Our Lady of the Atonement Catholic Church, and for the John Paul II Training Center. Grant us also to grow in love for you And proclaim boldly the love of Christ to all people. Through Christ, Our Lord. Amen.
 
Holy Mary, pray for us. Sancta Maria, ora pro nobis.
Mother of the Church, pray for us. Mater Christi, ora pro nobis.
Mother of divine grace, pray for us. Mater divinae gratia, ora pro nobis.
Mother of good counsel, pray for us. Mater boni consilii, ora pro nobis.
Mirror of justice, pray for us. Speculum justitiae, ora pro nobis.
Seat of wisdom, pray for us. Sedes sapientiae, ora pro nobis.