Disaffected Anglicans
Just saw in the news Benedict's decision to establish special ordinariates for disaffected (conservative) Anglicans - Roman Catholic church to receive Anglicans. I can't speak for how those in the Anglican Communion should take this, but as a left-leaning Catholic, I'm not happy. Here's a bit from a post at America magazine's blog by Michael Sean Winters - The Anglicans and Us - that expresses some of my feelings ....
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[...] why now? Were they not disturbed by their communion’s indifference to papal primacy all these years? When John Paul II sought some way to establish the validity of Anglican orders, but came up empty because the apostolic succession was clearly broken, why did they not seek incorporation into the Church of Rome then? I am sure that many of those who are now motivated to seek communion with Rome do so now primarily because the fractured nature of their own communion has become so manifest.
But, I worry, too, that some of these newcomers will also be nostalgists, anti-feminists, and anti-gay bigots. The ordaining of an openly gay bishop in New Hampshire is not something I would have advised, but after all these centuries of schism, I am not sure why that should have been the straw that broke the camel’s back. The first email I received this morning was from a Jewish friend who saw this aspect of the development when he wrote: "Do you think Pope B- might set up a Jewish rite if we asked him? We could call it Judaism. He could call it unity with church. Everyone's happy." .....
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Oh well, now the un-excommunicated SSPX bishops will have new friends to play with :(
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[...] why now? Were they not disturbed by their communion’s indifference to papal primacy all these years? When John Paul II sought some way to establish the validity of Anglican orders, but came up empty because the apostolic succession was clearly broken, why did they not seek incorporation into the Church of Rome then? I am sure that many of those who are now motivated to seek communion with Rome do so now primarily because the fractured nature of their own communion has become so manifest.
But, I worry, too, that some of these newcomers will also be nostalgists, anti-feminists, and anti-gay bigots. The ordaining of an openly gay bishop in New Hampshire is not something I would have advised, but after all these centuries of schism, I am not sure why that should have been the straw that broke the camel’s back. The first email I received this morning was from a Jewish friend who saw this aspect of the development when he wrote: "Do you think Pope B- might set up a Jewish rite if we asked him? We could call it Judaism. He could call it unity with church. Everyone's happy." .....
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Oh well, now the un-excommunicated SSPX bishops will have new friends to play with :(
posted by crystal | 1:46 PM
5 Comments:
The Holy Spirit does indeed work in strange ways :). I really didn't think this would happen, although I knew it was at least being proposed. So, I don't think that my predictions of what will happen are worth much :(.
I don't think that things are well settled and I don't think much is really known about how this is supposed to work. I notice that everyone reporting it seems to to copying what someone else has said.
i do have several questions, like how many of the Anglican Catholic bishops are married, and how many of those will be willing to become second class Roman Catholic Priests. Same question about the Anglican Catholic priests. And how many Roman Catholic bishops that are pushing for "better translations" are going to tolerate the Anglican scriptures? Of course, it does leave the possibility of RCs attending mass with a richer English ritual.
Lets just sit back and see what if anything happens.
Mike L
Hi Mike,
Yeah, I'm not sure what it means. Someone commenting at the Episcopal Cafe mentioned that his kind of thing has been available for some time in the US with Episcopalians ...
In July 1980 the President of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, Archbishop John Quinn, received a letter from the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Franjo Seper, indicating that the Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, responding to requests received from some priests and laity formerly or actually belonging to the Episcopal Church in the United States, had decided to make a special pastoral provision for their reception into full communion with the Catholic Church. In general terms the decision provided for the ordination of married, former priests coming from the Episcopal Church, and for the creation of personal worship communities which would be allowed to retain elements of the Anglican liturgy. Cardinal Seper’s letter asked the Conference of Bishops to propose a Bishop to the Congregation for appointment as its “Ecclesiastical Delegate” for this work. Bishop Bernard Law, of Springfield-Cape Girardeau, later Cardinal Archbishop of Boston, was appointed to this position in 1981. Since moving to Rome he has been succeeded by Archbishop John Myers, of Newark .....
(link
It makes me depressed, though - it seems like B16 is reaching out, and only reaching out, to ultra conservative bigots .... take the SSPX bishops as example.
If this was really about ecumenism, I'd think he'd not be poaching Anglican conservatives but helping their Church to stabilize while recognizing its true "Chruchness".
Crystal.... in my view (and I'm in a similar position to yours but in love with Cistercian spirituality!), Jesus remained a Jew but was a "subversive" Jew via simply following his father. "Come to the Father" - does not mean pope! But it's not the form of spirituality. It's one's own path as one feels called by God. I remain RC to minister to many RC's who truly have no one to minister to them - given so few priests. (I feel called to that. And glad they won't ordain me - since then I'd have to "sign on" to stuff I disagree with!)
God is good. (just ignore the pope!)
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. People really need to open their eyes. I know I did!!!
Thanks for the comments, you guys. Like any old institution, Catholicism has its problems, but there's good stuff too. I guess the hard part is deciding what to do about the bad stuff and learning how to appreciate the good.
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