Catholics of the Anglican Patrimony

This concise and insightful study examines Aidan Nichols’s vision for an Anglican Uniate Church, a community united with Rome yet not absorbed into it. In 1993, Nichols argued that full corporate reunion of the entire Anglican Communion was unrealistic, given the Protestant and Liberal elements within Anglican history. Instead, he proposed the reconciliation of a smaller body that was sufficiently Catholic in identity while retaining authentically Anglican patrimony.

His prediction proved prophetic. Just over a decade later, Pope Benedict XVI issued Apostolorum coetibus, establishing three Ordinariates for Catholics of the Anglican Patrimony in Britain, Australia, and North America. These Ordinariates have become a significant fruit of modern Catholic ecumenism.

In this book, Nichols explores the historical, theological, and liturgical roots of the Ordinariates, showing how they resonate with Benedict XVI’s broader ecclesial vision. He also outlines a distinctive missionary vocation for reconciled Anglicans, especially within the English context.

About the Author

Aidan Nichols is a member of the Dominican community at Blackfriars, Cambridge, and the author of numerous works on Eastern and Western theology and Church history.