Major Anglican Group Prepares for Full Communion With Rome

virtueonline/National Catholic Register ^ | Dec 23 05 | Edward Pentin

[big'ol_freeper]

Praise be Jesus!

[ishmac]

God in Heaven, bring this to completion!!

[mnehring]

Has anyone heard word if the Celtic Apostolic church has approved the split as well?

[Scarchin]

WOW! BTTT

[The Cuban]

Henry VIII is spinning in his grave (and not just on the fiery spit he's been attached to since descending into hell in the 1500's).

[conservative blonde]

All roads lead to Rome.

[freema]

bookmark

[tanknetter]

The Vatican is, however, understood to be urging those groups wishing to come into communion with it to demonstrate they are comfortable with Church teaching, and that they aren't motivated soley by disillusionment with the Anglican Communion

This is a pretty important point. Conservative Episcopalians might be furious at some of the recent liberalization actions, but there are also serious issues regarding marriage of (heterosexual) clergy and the Roman Catholic Church's emphasis on the role of Mary in redemption that would have to be overcome before any true reunitement could occur.

[MineralMan]

That's really interesting news. I'm a little unclear on whether this will be an actual joining of the RCC by these churches, but it's interesting.

I know that it's possible for an Anglican priest to become a Catholic priest, even if married. I wonder if a similar dispensation will be made if this merger takes place.

[kalee]

"400,000 clergy and laity"
Maybe worldwide, but that number seems a bit inflated to me. The TAC is not a large group in the US, but does have a larger number of members in Africa and the Far East.
Also there have already been parishes leave the TAC over this and others are watching and waiting to see what happens, so I think the numbers will not be what anyone is anticipating if this comes about.
How do I know this? I'm a member.

[dbostan]

What great news!
I pray that the Orthodox Churches will follow suit and see all the great Christian churches coming together again.

[MeanWestTexan]

Henry the VIII ("the Defender of the Faith," as named by the then-pope) merely attached his name to a Church movement that was already well underway.

The Anglican church was created (historically, and this is doubted by many) by Joseph of Aramathia and "grew up" apostolically outside the Roman Catholic church as (in part) the Celtic Church.

It only became a part of the RCC through the efforts of St. Augestine at the Synod of Whitby -- and was always a paid in the arse, with great distrust of hierarchy and its own traditions and rules (e.g., married priests, monastaries being , the occassional mass in English, etc.).

The "Henry the VIII created the Anglican Church" is really B.S. It was happening and he saw the writing and pushed it along for his selfish purposes.

[MeanWestTexan]

Correct.

I believe the position is going to be agree-to-disagree about Mary, although that may have changed.

[Cicero]

Ordaining women as bishops is particularly contentious for those opposed to women priests as they would be unable to recognize or accept the authority of all priests, male or female, who were ordained by female bishops.

I hadn't really clicked why female bishops are worse than female priests, but of course, this explanation clarifies it.

Anglicans believe in the idea of the apostolic succession, although the Catholic Church questions the validity of their ordinations. Once you introduce doubt into the ordination process, it would be impossible to tell whether a priest, male or female, was validly ordained. You would need to get the whole pedigree to be sure, or conditionally ordain everyone all over again.

[Cicero]

This is very questionable history. I was an Anglican, and I never heard anything of the sort. There were vague claims to being a separate tradition, and it's true that some English and Irish were Catholics before Augustine was sent to England. But this tale makes nonsense of the whole history of the middle ages in England.

[Pyro7480]

This is a pretty important point. Conservative Episcopalians might be furious at some of the recent liberalization actions, but there are also serious issues regarding marriage of (heterosexual) clergy and the Roman Catholic Church's emphasis on the role of Mary in redemption that would have to be overcome before any true reunitement could occur.

Some of the really "Anglo-Catholic" Anglicans are really Marian. I walked into one of their churches in Newport, RI, and I thought it was a Catholic Church. They pray the Rosary.

[The Old Hoosier]

Ut omnes unum sint, sicut tu, Pater, in me et ego in te.

[narses]

There has been a long and often close relationship between
the Anglican and Catholic Churches. In certain situations
there remains a mutual recognition of the validity of key
doctrines, liturgies, and practices. And the Catholic
Church continues to hold the faith and moral teachings as
taught by the Apostles.

I understand that there is also an Anglican Use liturgy
within the Catholic Church, wherein the Book of Common Prayer
is used for the Mass (with minor updates). So there is no need
to lose the liturgy Anglicans may be familiar with.

Resources for those interested in the Catholic faith:

Catholic Answers
www.catholic.com
A superb site for clearing away the myths propagated by too many.
Offers free on-line library that examines all the major issues,
free on-line archive of over 1,500 hours of radio/audio material,
plus magazines, books, pamphlets, tracts, videos, and more.

Coming Home Network
www.chnetwork.org
Provides fellowship, encouragement and support for Protestant
pastors and laymen who are somewhere along the journey or
have already been received into the Catholic Church.

Biblical Evidence for Catholicism
www.biblicalcatholic.com
Dave Armstrong's monster site. Eclectic, fun, exhaustingly
detailed, personal, moving, and more.

And may God bless your journey where ever it takes you.

posted on 08/05/2003 5:19 PM PDT by polemikos

[narses]

See post 19.