Vatican creates new structure for Anglicans

parishioner · #1 Oct 20, '09, 5:40 am

Anglicans can now become Catholic en masse:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091020/...ican_anglicans

Nominefili · #2 Oct 20, '09, 5:44 am

Seems like a good move to me. The liberal side of the Anglican church is getting out of control, much like the liberals in the Lutheran church. There are many disillusioned conservatives in these denominations who are looking for some consistency. Seems that Rome is being pretty accommodating to them.

GKC · #3 Oct 20, '09, 6:11 am

This is mainly in response to the initiative arising from the group known as the Traditional Anglican Communion, which has been often discussed here. For 10 years or more they have been seeking a way to be in communion with Rome, and still retain their Anglican particulars. This announcement from Cardinal Levada is almost what they were looking for, and does open the door to a formal Anglican Rite, as opposed an Anglican use under the Latin Rite, and establishes a structure to formalize an Anglican sui iurus Church (maybe, eventually).

This has been a long time building. It appears that this Pope decided to act on it. The most recent silliness in the official Anglican Communion, and the Episcopal Church, likely played a part too.

For years I have said here that I was dubious about the prospects of the TAC and what was actually going on, and would be until I heard something on it from Rome. Now, Roma locuta est. What happens will be interesting to watch.

GKC

PhilotheaZ · #4 Oct 20, '09, 6:14 am

This has already been done in several individual situations, where an individual Anglican/Episcopalian priest and his flock have converted together to Catholicism and formed a Catholic "Anglican Use" parish, and the married pastor has (after appropriate discernment and study) been ordained a Catholic priest.

It appears that this option is now being made more widely available.

chris molter · #5 Oct 20, '09, 6:21 am

I hope folks can appreciate how ridiculously fast this is for the Vatican bureaucracy. I'm shocked that they actually did something this quickly to address the Anglican meltdown. I think it's a sign of how much priority Pope Benedict gives to our Anglican brethren, who are in a very special situation amongst all other Protestant bodies.

I'm very curious to see what things will look like when the "rubber hits the road" though. The Pastoral Provision looked like a great idea (and it was), but the practical results were not exactly overwhelming. I do think that those Anglicans who came into the Church under the PP provided a good base or springboard for this new act, though.

All I can say is I hope we get a local Catholic Anglican parish locally and soon! God above, how I miss dignified and beautiful liturgy!

(I AM very curious to see whether or not exemption will be granted to allow married men to be ordained who were not previously ordained in the Anglican communion, such as seminarians, current aspirants, etc. and whether the Anglican Ordinariate will be given an exception to mandatory celibacy like the Easterners.)

MarkBrown · #6 Oct 20, '09, 6:38 am

Very interesting and welcome news!

Now is the time for prayer and seeking guidance from the Holy Spirit.
Besides the TAC, I know many many Anglo-Catholics inside and out
of the ACNA who will be looking at this development very seriously.

How everything falls into place could be trouble for the ACNA, for
many in the Anglo-Catholic wing are not at all happy with
developments within the ACNA.

Again very interesting and welcome news!

Fr. Mark
REC-ACNA

doanli · #7 Oct 20, '09, 6:42 am

My husband is an Anglican..he will like this.

Stylteralmaldo · #8 Oct 20, '09, 6:49 am

This is great news!

Christian unity! Whoohooo!

CGDouglas · #9 Oct 20, '09, 6:53 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by parishioner

Anglicans can now become Catholic en masse:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091020/...ican_anglicans

If an Anglican recieved Communion at the Church of England, does this mean we are eligible to recieve Communion at the Roman Catholic Church, or would one need to wait for conformation within the RCC via RCIA?

God Bless.

Chris.

GKC · #10 Oct 20, '09, 6:54 am

Well, the TAC has been exploring this for around 10 years, but I don't know what constitutes fast in Rome. I do suspect the accelerator is Benedict.

Details, details, so many unknown details.

GKC

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris molter

I hope folks can appreciate how ridiculously fast this is for the Vatican bureaucracy. I'm shocked that they actually did something this quickly to address the Anglican meltdown. I think it's a sign of how much priority Pope Benedict gives to our Anglican brethren, who are in a very special situation amongst all other Protestant bodies.

I'm very curious to see what things will look like when the "rubber hits the road" though. The Pastoral Provision looked like a great idea (and it was), but the practical results were not exactly overwhelming. I do think that those Anglicans who came into the Church under the PP provided a good base or springboard for this new act, though.

All I can say is I hope we get a local Catholic Anglican parish locally and soon! God above, how I miss dignified and beautiful liturgy!

(I AM very curious to see whether or not exemption will be granted to allow married men to be ordained who were not previously ordained in the Anglican communion, such as seminarians, current aspirants, etc. and whether the Anglican Ordinariate will be given an exception to mandatory celibacy like the Easterners.)

GKC · #11 Oct 20, '09, 6:55 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by CGDouglas

If an Anglican recieved Communion at the Church of England, does this mean we are eligible to recieve Communion at the Roman Catholic Church, or would one need to wait for conformation within the RCC via RCIA?

God Bless.

Chris.

The latter. You still have to become a RC.

GKC

CGDouglas · #12 Oct 20, '09, 6:56 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by GKC

The latter. You still have to become a RC.

GKC

Oh, okay, thanks.

God Bless.

Chris.

John Larocque · #13 Oct 20, '09, 7:12 am

I was amused with the one guy from the CDF who remarked that the traditional Anglican rites are "more like the Tridentine" than the ones that Catholics have today. Why should they give them up, especially if Rome speaks highly of them?

I hope these traditional Anglican rites will be held up as an example for any liturgical "reform of the reform" of the Latin rite. A future model for the SSPX?

Quote:

The new canonical provision allows married Anglican priests and even seminarians to become ordained Catholic priests — much the same way that Eastern rite priests who are in communion with Rome are allowed to be married. However, married Anglicans couldn't become Catholic bishops.

... this almost neatly adheres to directives in the Eastern Council of Trullo (?), which makes this priest/bishop distinction as well. Bishops in the Orthodox churches are also required to remain celibate.

GKC · #14 Oct 20, '09, 7:28 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Larocque

I was amused with the one guy from the CDF who remarked that the traditional Anglican rites are "more like the Tridentine" than the ones that Catholics have today. Why should they give them up, especially if Rome speaks highly of them?

I hope these traditional Anglican rites will be held up as an example for any liturgical "reform of the reform" of the Latin rite. A future model for the SSPX?

... this almost neatly adheres to directives in the Eastern Council of Trullo (?), which makes this priest/bishop distinction as well. Bishops in the Orthodox churches are also required to remain celibate.

The bishops in the Traditional Anglican Communion, whose efforts are probably largely the inspiration for this new policy, had all written, in the TAC letter to Rome of about 2 years ago, that they understood the concept of celibate bishops, and were prepared to step down, if the TAC were to be received corporately.

GKC

CHESTERTONRULES · #15 Oct 20, '09, 7:28 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by GKC

This is mainly in response to the initiative arising from the group known as the Traditional Anglican Communion, which has been often discussed here. For 10 years or more they have been seeking a way to be in communion with Rome, and still retain their Anglican particulars. This announcement from Cardinal Levada is almost what they were looking for, and does open the door to a formal Anglican Rite, as opposed an Anglican use under the Latin Rite, and establishes a structure to formalize an Anglican sui iurus Church (maybe, eventually).

This has been a long time building. It appears that this Pope decided to act on it. The most recent silliness in the official Anglican Communion, and the Episcopal Church, likely played a part too.

For years I have said here that I was dubious about the prospects of the TAC and what was actually going on, and would be until I heard something on it from Rome. Now, Roma locuta est. What happens will be interesting to watch.

GKC

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