Types of Communities in the Ordinariate
Within the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter, there are three recognized types of communities:
1. Parish.
2. Quasi-Parish
3. Community in Formation
Saint Timothy's is currently has the status of Community in Formation.
A parish is not simply a church, a set of buildings, a territory, a priest, or a worshiping community. A parish is not a means to hold property or organize community life on the local level. It is not an ecclesial version of a civil corporation. Although in the course of its establishment and life the parish might well require all of the forgoing attributes, the primary reason for its existence is to foster a stable relationship with Christ Jesus the Lord. A parish is ordered to the salvation of souls.
Parish
Quasi-Parish
Community in Formation
A parish is a certain community of Christ’s faithful stably established within a particular Church whose pastoral care, under the authority of the diocesan Bishop is entrusted to a parish priest as its proper Pastor.
-Code of Canon Law, 515
A definite community of the Christian faithful entrusted to a priest as its proper administrator but not yet established as a parish. A quasi-parish is not meant to be permanent: it is a community on its way to becoming a parish. A quasi-parish is understood as equivalent to a parish but not yet having attained parish status.
A community in formation is a group of persons who are formally recognized by the Bishop with the desire to establish an Ordinariate parish but find themselves at an earlier point of development. A community in formation must have an associated Catholic priest, either to shepherd the association himself or to act as a resource to a community. Communities in formation are expected to be making progress toward quasi-parish and, eventually, parish status. They remain in close consultation with the Chancery and are evaluated regularly.
