Courtesy of Damian Thompson of The Telegraph
'This is astonishing news. Pope Benedict XVI has created an entirely new Church structure for disaffected Anglicans that will allow them to worship together – using elements of Anglican liturgy – under the pastoral supervision of their own specially appointed bishop or senior priest.
The Pope is now offering Anglicans worldwide “corporate reunion” on terms that will delight Anglo-Catholics. In theory, they can have their own married priests, parishes and bishops – and they will be free of liturgical interference by liberal Catholic bishops who are unsympathetic to their conservative stance.
There is even the possibility that married Anglican laymen could be accepted for ordination on a case-by-case basis – a remarkable concession.
Both Archbishop Vincent Nichols and Archbishop Rowan Williams are surprised by this dramatic move. Cardinal Levada, head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, was in Lambeth Palace only yesterday to spell out to Dr Williams what it means. This decision has, in effect, been taken over their heads – though there is no suggestion that Archbishop Nichols does not fully support this historic move. For more click here.
He is. Oh yes!
Meanwhile, The Times's Ruth Gledhill feels unable to rejoice in a joint article with colleague Richard Owen in a piece entitled, 'Vatican moves to poach traditional Anglicans', as if Anglicans were football stars being lured away by foreign clubs offering better wages, better sponsorship deals and more certain futures. Hmm...there may be something in that, still, whether Anglicans, most likely traditional Anglicans come over is their free choice, Ruth. Heck! They even put a link to the Archbishop of Canterbury's official site entitled, 'IN FULL, Joint Statement on poaching plan'!
I know that if were an Anglican egg right now, I'd rather be 'poached' by Rome now, than be 'scrambled' by Canterbury.
1 comment:
That is a bold move but beware of the Catholic Church. I used to be Catholic but then I stopped practicing after I found out some disturbing truth. Some say the papacy is the antichrist. They changed the ten commandments which is the Law of God, the Pope claims to be a god, they have killed innocent people for centuries like the Spanish Inquisition and supporting the Nazis, and the priests have molested a lot of children. Jesus would not approve of any of these, it is not Christian, that is evil hiding behind religion. I pray people really to open their eyes. I know I did!!!
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