Pope okays new structures to absorb disgruntled Anglican conservatives

by John L Allen Jr on Oct. 20, 2009
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Married priests to be part of the deal in new 'personal ordinariates'

By JOHN L. ALLEN JR.

In a move with potentially sweeping implications for relations between the Catholic church and some 80 million Anglicans worldwide, the Vatican has announced the creation of new ecclesiastical structures to absorb disaffected Anglicans wishing to become Catholics. The structures will allow those Anglicans to hold onto their distinctive spiritual practices, including the ordination of married former Anglican clergy as Catholic priests.

Those structures would be open to members of the Episcopal Church in the United States, the main American branch of the worldwide Anglican Communion. American Episcopalians are said to number some 2.2 million.

Read the full story here: Vatican reveals plan to welcome disaffected Anglicans

"Last week, Cardinal Walter

Submitted by Craig B. McKee, Hong Kong (not verified) on Oct. 20, 2009.

"Last week, Cardinal Walter Kasper, the Vatican’s top ecumenical official, went out of his way during a Vatican news conference to insist that, “We are not fishing in the Anglican lake,” but that out of respect for freedom of religion, the Catholic church has a responsibility to respond when someone knocks on its door."

Of course he did...because he knew exactly what was coming THIS WEEK!

I think it is important to

Submitted by Angelsdefendus (not verified) on Oct. 20, 2009.

I think it is important to read the statement which the Church put out:
http://defend-us-in-battle.blogspot.com/2009/10/breaking-catholic-church...

Only then are we fully appreciative of what this move means. I think it has LESS to do with marriage within the clergy, disgruntled Anglicans, and the like. It has more to do with the universality of the church, the outreach towards traditional christians, and the shepparding of these "wandering" churches back into the fold of Catholicism.

The church here didn't demand a full reversion of these people, but instead allowed for a middle ground to be reached, ensuring the doctrine of the Church, and the traditions of the Anglican rite.

If I were ECUSA I would

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Oct. 20, 2009.

If I were ECUSA I would launch a big advertising campaign to sign up dissaffected liberal Roman Catholics. But ECUSA is too polite and nice unlike the Catholic right which welcomes anti-gay Christians, married clery included, regardless of the effect on regular Catholics. Another example of Rome bending over backward to please the ideological right. They will reap what they sow. Benedict may get his "remnant" yet.