While not wishing to minimize the really heart-wrenching decisions any potential converts from Canterbury to Rome would have to make, I must say this:
My friend, a married man whose wife and (at the time) five (later six!) children were involved with him in his momentous decision, was one of the first Episcopal priests to become a Roman Catholic back in 1981 or early 1982 . . . he made the move BEFORE the Pastoral Provision had been announced, when such a conversion almost certainly meant life and employment as a layman . . .
NOTHING could hold him back, so ABSOLUTE was the conviction that THIS must be done and MUST be done NOW: that it was God’s will.
Since then, several other friends and acquaintances have “Poped” - they say, “Once you know that God wills this, EVERYTHING ELSE - the question of Orders, Marian dogmas, buildings and locations - EVERYTHING ELSE matters not at all.”
I have no doubt that it will be so also for many of these Anglican clergy now.
God bless him! I have watched enough episodes of The Journey Home to appreciate just how difficult it was to make that decision. Here in the ("progressive") diocese of Albany, the ("conservative") Anglican bishop swam the Tiber 2 years ago and never looked back. No doubt we will be reading some very exciting stories of incoming Anglicans, over the next few months.
Pastoral Provision was announced in July of 1980.