The Vatican announced on Tuesday that it would make it easier for Anglicans who are uncomfortable with the Church of England’s acceptance of women priests and openly gay bishops to join the Catholic Church. The Vatican will set up a formal conversion structure to allow Anglicans to preserve some of their liturgical traditions, including allowing married Anglican priests to remain married after they convert to Catholicism.Read the rest here.
What does this announcement say about the Catholic Church and its willingness to grant such flexibility?
* David Gibson, author, “The Rule of Benedict”
* John L. Allen Jr., The National Catholic Reporter
* M. Cathleen Kaveny, professor of law and theology
* Colleen Carroll Campbell, Ethics and Public Policy Center
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7 comments:
I think it says, yet again, that Rome will compromise virtually anything in exchange for submission to the Pope. I think the "Council of Florence" already demonstrated this, with its willingness to drop the Filioque, and so does Uniatism, and so does The Cathechism of the Catholic Church.
For you, very special deal! Genuflect here.
The Vatican wants Anglicans in order to increase membership in the Roman Catholic Church.
The fact that the Vatican will allow Anglican priests to be married -- while at the same time require Catholic priests to be celibate -- shows an inconsistency and double standard that can only backfire for Catholicism.
Clearly, this illustrates how membership attraction in the Catholic Church transcends Catholic Doctrine.
George Patsourakos, funny its the anglicans who were courting Rome, and with in the last 2 years after 60 anglican bishops have requested unification Rome decided to respond, the anglicans were courting rome, quite unlike the Met. Jonah's courting of the anglicans!
The bishops of the TAC signed a statement stating that they assented to all that was stated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. They did this two years ago. They are willing to submit their liturgies and their own disciplinary structures to Rome's authority, and their will be changes made. They have sought in every way to make themselves conform to the Roman Catholic Faith.
It is not clear to me how Rome has compromised their own doctrine or praxis here.
Yes, it's also not clear to me how this is any kind of compromise from Rome's perspective.
And honestly, in all charity, I don't see a reason not to assume that the Pope--believing as we must assume he does--is not actually trying to do something for the good of some Anglican souls. We may disagree about what's actually good for them. I'm just saying...from his perspective, there's probably a pastoral angle here. It's not like the RCC is actually hurting for membership.
Now, priests...that's another story.
Holy Father declared this the Year for Priests, with special intentions made to Saint John Vianney to intercede for our priests. I like to think that this is a partial response to these prayers and those that came before. I don't know the timetable for the rest of our ranks to be strengthened, but have no doubt they will through divine providence :)
http://www.usccb.org/yearforpriests/pdf/Peoples%20Prayer%20for%20Priests%20(English).pdf
Thank you, Ochlophobist. Among many Anglican and apparently now Orthodox commenters there is a subtext that the pope is poaching, scheming, plotting, conniving, wooing, coaxing, (and now compromising himself) to get Anglicans through the Catholic door. False.
The pope is RESPONDING with generosity to multiple and earnest pleas from several sources, not only TAC (though TAC is the group that has made the single formal petition).
In an uncharitable environment no one can do right. If the pope had refused the petition he would be callous and typically Roman in his inflexibility. If he accepts the petition all the while maintaining the high standard of Catholic doctrine, he is apparently a wily underhanded power craven sell out.
In such an environment, he cannot win unless he converts to being Greek Orthodox--or wait, is the a Russian Orthodox site?
Come on folks, have just a splinter of reason and good will.
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