"That They May Be One"
(This page is dedicated to documents and articles relating to the recent provision by Pope Benedict XVI of a means for Anglicans to come into full communion with the [Roman] Catholic Church while retaining our Anglican identity. These documents are arranged archivally - that is from the most to the least recent - so persons wishing to read in historical order should begin at the bottom and work up. Persons wishing to read the primary texts should go to the page called ANGLICANOUM COETIBUS.)
TEXT OF QUESTIONNAIRE FOR ORDINARIATE SURVEY
(Updated with results on 08.24.2010)
PREFACE
As you know, late last year, Pope Benedict XVI issued an Apostolic Constitution entitled Anglicanoribus coetibus (“Groups of Anglicans”), by which he enabled the creation of new church structures similar to dioceses, but called “Personal Ordinariates.” These are designed to allow Anglicans to come into full communion with the Roman Catholic Church while retaining their identity as Anglicans. While no Apostolic Delegate has been appointed for the United States as yet to facilitate the organization of and American Ordinariate, the announcement of such an appointment is expected in the near future, at which point matters can move ahead. In the meantime, information needs to be gathered, and this survey is part of that effort.
Your answers to the questions in this survey are not binding upon you personally or upon the parish: They will provide a snapshot of where you, and we, are at this time. This will assist the Standing Committee of the Diocese of the Eastern United States in its effort to prepare for providing adequate pastoral care to all current members of the Diocese, whatever their decision may be in response to the proposed Ordinariates.
You need not provide any personal identifying information: The results of this survey will be tabulated and shared with the Standing Committee prior to its meeting this week. If you wish to make additional personal comments, you may do so in the space provided at the end, and these will also be shared with the Standing Committee.
Four (4) persons participated in this survey.
(1) Is it your present desire to participate in an Anglican Ordinariate as described in the Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum Coetibus of Pope Benedict XVI and its accompanying Complementary Norms?
Yes. 1 No. 3 Undecided. 0
(2) If your answer is "yes," does this mean that are you committed to accepting, without reservation, the Christian faith as it is outlined in The Catechism of the Catholic Church?
Yes. 1 No. 3 Undecided. 0
(3) If your answer to the question (1) is "no," is your objection, to the best of your knowledge and belief, grounded in positive dissent from specific teachings of the Roman Catholic Church?
Yes. 3 No. 0 Not sure. 0
(4) If your answer to question (3) is "yes," please indicate all of the following doctrinal positions to which you object:
3--Infallibility of the papacy and the magisterium in matters of faith and morals. 1--Succession of the Bishop of Rome to the authority of Saint Peter.Defined dogmas concerning the Blessed Virgin Mary:
1--Immaculate Conception.
1--Perpetual Virginity.
1--Bodily Assumption.
--Other (please specify)
1--Prohibition of artificial contraception.1--Indissolubility of sacramental marriage for the lifetime of the partners.2--Doctrine of Purgatory. 2--Doctrine of Indulgences.--Doctrine of Transubstantiation. (1 respondent wrote "unsure" here.)--Other (please specify).
(5) I have read the Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum Coetibus and its accompanying Complementary Norms.
Yes. 4 Yes, but did not adequately understand them. 0 No. 0
(6) I have read those parts of The Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Anglican Articles of Religion covered in Fr David Ousley’s study guide.
Yes. 4 Yes, but did not adequately understand them. 0 No. 0
(7) I am a (please circle one):
Communicant. 3 Member. 1 Prospective Member. 0 Frequent Visitor. 0 Occasional Visitor. 0
If you have any further information or observations for the members of the diocese’s Standing Committee to consider regarding this matter, please write or print it legibly below.
NON-BINDING ORDINARIATE SURVEY ON AUGUST 22
In light of the following information, and to assist the Standing Committee in their work, Saint Peter's will conduct a non-binding survey of the congregation immediately following the Mass on Sunday, August 22nd. By means of a written questionnaire, those in attendance will be asked several questions, which the Vicar will formulate and for which he takes full responsibility. These questions will be posted at this site by the end of the day on August 14, 2010.
[The text of the questionnaire is posted above as of 9:45 p.m on Friday, August 13. - SLE+]
SECOND UPDATE FROM FR KEROUAC
[August 13, 2010]
All,
Following is an update of activity toward resolving the logistics of the Ordinariate. Clergy and Lay leadership will both receive this notice.
The House of Bishops has not met since we had the last update. No movement has materialized on announcements from that body.
We have decided that we will use the Standing Committee as a working committee to address transition issues. Both the Ordinariate and remaining Anglican sensibilities are equally represented on the Standing Committee and we have a good history of resolving issues together in good faith.
A Standing Committee meeting has been called for August 25-26 to address transition issues. To be consistent with our long term policy, guests will be allowed to sit in. They will be allowed a voice in the meeting, but will not have a vote.
We want this meeting to be productive and to address specific issues . To that end,we need the polling of each parish complete before that meeting. The meeting will include planning for administration of the diocese that will be amenable to both sides, but I also want us to address specific instances where minority of parishioners are not comfortable with a majority decision, or where the clergy and laity may be on different sides of the issue.
If you want this committee to be responsive to your desires and your needs, we need you to supply us the information that will allow us to get to work..
I will prepare the next diocesan report immediately after the Standing Committee meeting. Thank you all for your patience and your prayers.
Yours in Christ,
Mike+
FROM FR MICHAEL KEROUAC, PRESIDENT OF THE DEUS STANDING COMMITTEE
UPDATE ON TRANSITIONAL ACTIVITIES
July 28, 2010
To: All Members of the Diocese
From: Fr. Mike Kerouac
At Synod, the Standing Committee and the Bishop agreed that we would have more frequent, transparent, and effective communication with the clergy and laity as plans for the Ordinariate progressed. I anticipate that I will have a report for everyone every 2 or 3 weeks as we go forward. Following are the developments since Synod.
1. The House of Bishops are meeting weekly about the Ordinariate.
2. There will be Episcopal oversight for all parishes whether they join the Ordinariate or remain in ACA.
3. No parish will be hijacked to either group against the will of the majority in the parish.
4. DEUS is committed to ensuring that proper accommodation is made for all members of the Diocese, especially any who find themselves in a minority position in a parish.
5. Within the next month, we will be taking a poll of each member of each parish to determine which locations will need special accommodations.
6. During the week of August 23, The Standing Committee will meet as a planning commission to begin making accommodations for each parish.
7. Each Parish should review their Canons and Diocesan Canons with the Chancellor to make sure there is a clear understanding of the manner in which property and other assets will be protected and handled. If changes will need to be made in any instance, we should know in advance and plan for the changes.
8. Timing. The Roman Church has announced the Papal Delegates for the Australian and Canadian Ordinariates. It is our understanding that they are also close to announcing the American delegate. Once that delegate is announced, meaningful steps toward answering the particular questions for clergy and laity can truly begin.
9. Study Materials. Fr Ousley has prepared a tutorial on the Roman Catechism to facilitate meaningful and informed discussion. It is principally focused on those elements of the catechism that have been historic distinctions between the jurisdictions. You can access the material in the attachment with this e-mail. [Note: The material follows on this web page – Webmaster]
I thank you all for your patience. You will receive another update by August 15th, and also will receive an update after the Standing Committee meeting.
Yours in Christ,
Mike+
STUDY MATERIALS
(prepared by Fr David Ousley, St Michael's, Philadelphia)
[
Reading the Catechism of the Catholic Church
For the Diocese of the Eastern United States
[Note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church can be accessed on line: Please check our "Useful Links" page. The Articles of Religion can be accessed on line or read beginning on page 603 of the 1928 Book of Common Prayer. - Web master.]
In the midst of the uncertainties about the Ordinariate (at least as of July, 2010), one thing that is clear from the Apostolic Constitution is that the Catechism of the Catholic Church is the standard for doctrine for those who enter the Ordinariate. For any considering that step, it is worthwhile to read the Catechism cover to cover. It is safe to say that the Catechism is pastoral in intent, irenic in tone. Unlike the Constitution itself, it is not a legal document, nor is it intended principally for theologians. It appeals to the heart as well as the mind. Even if one finds disagreement with particular points, one cannot help but admire the effort. The Anglican way has, alas, nothing comparable.
It is worth noting a bit of its history. It is generally understood that the Catechism was the brainchild of Cardinal Ratzinger as an attempt to put Vatican II into perspective. While on the one hand, it seeks to put limits on “the spirit of Vatican II" which in some cases went far beyond the actual decrees of the council, it also (on the other hand) articulates the legitimate dogmatic and pastoral concerns of the Vatican II. Both are important for us. In the United States, the abuses of the “spirit of Vatican II” are all too clear. On the other hand, it is at least arguable that the Council wished to implement some of the very reforms that our 16th-century forebears were concerned about. The Catechism also works to make clear the relation between its positions and those which went before it. It is, in other words, the fruit of the wholeness of the Roman tradition.
I would also observe that reading the whole of the Catechism shows that the Anglican way shares far more with Rome than it does with (say) the Episcopal Church. The differences between the Anglican way and Rome may well be significant, but this should not blind us to the enormous amount that is shared. It follows that even if one does not find it good to accept the Ordinariate, one should still recognize a close relation with Rome.
I will admit at the outset that I find the Catechism an impressive resource. If it is not possible for you to read it through cover to cover, it has a good index; it is generally clear; and it is well footnoted. This last makes it possible to follow its sources, which can be of use, when the Catechism is too brief for our needs.
Ignatius Press also publishes an Introduction to the Catechism of the Catholic Church by (then) Cardinal Ratzinger and Christoph Schoenborn. This brief volume explains the history, logic, and structure of the Catechism. It does not intend to be (and is not) a substitute for reading the Catechism itself.
In what follows, the numbered references are paragraph numbers, not page numbers. The different editions of the catechism vary in pagination, but not (so far as I can tell) on the paragraphs. (Some paragraphs have minor, though potentially significant revisions in the later editions; I do not know what they all are.) I will also note where the Articles of Religion speak to a particular issue, for comparison. This does not imply anything about the authority of the Articles. I suspect that within the TAC there may be differing views on the authority of the Articles: I do not intend to take sides by including the references.
Comparisons with Anglican doctrine and practice are not always easy: the Anglican way has no written authorities comparable to the Catechism and Roman Canon Law, nor have we an authority comparable (in all respects, at least) to the Magisterium. In our situation, such comparisons are unavoidable, as we ask whether the Roman (the Ordinariate) is good, and whether it is better than the Anglican in which we now find ourselves. We should be honest with ourselves as we make the comparisons, and exercise fairness in our judgments. Listening to others with an open mind is bound to help.
The paragraphs listed below cover what I take to be the issues of greatest dogmatic concern for Anglicans of the TAC considering the Ordinariate. They do not constitute a great quantity of reading, but will need to be read carefully. It seems to me that the foundational issue is that of the Magisterium. This goes to the heart of the question of polity. The other issues of principal concern to us are in one way or another dependent upon the question of the Magisterium. If the Roman claims about the Magisterium are correct, then such issues as the Marian dogmas, transubstantiation, purgatory, merit, justification, and infallibility take care of themselves. If one accepts that the Magisterium has the authority and responsibility to define the content of the deposit of faith, then as a consequence one accepts its definitions, and thus the other matters. This is not to say that the other matters are irrelevant, or even less important. It is to say that their difficulties become quite different if one has once accepted the claims for the Magisterium. So the question of the Magisterium is not merely one of polity, but also one which affects all the others.
It should also be noted that the question which the Magisterium answers for the Roman system is one which all churches (especially those who intend to be faithfully catholic) need to answer: how is it that God provides for His Church the assurance that the deposit of faith, the essential content of the revelation, is reliably communicated to succeeding generations? How is the truth preserved and transmitted so that the faithful can be assured that it is true, and the same faith Jesus gave to the original apostles? Anglicans must have an answer to this, as it is essential that Christians have some assurance that the Gospel presented to them is true and has not been corrupted or lost with the passage of time. I would note that if one concludes that there is no adequate Anglican answer, it does not immediately follow that one must of necessity accept the Roman answer, the Magisterium: there is still the possibility that the
Orthodox answer (which differs from the Roman) may be right rather than Rome.
The Magisterium
paragraphs 85-90 & 95: general introduction
80-82: Scripture and Tradition
83: the Magisterium & Tradition
874-896: more detail on the ministry of teaching
2032-40: Magisterium & moral issues
cf. Articles XIX (churches having erred), XX (authority of the church), & XXIV (traditions of the church)
A useful secondary source is Anvery Dulles' book, Magisterium (Saptientia Press), a college text book which helps explain both the theory (the Magisterium is not monolithic, and can be hard for “outsiders” to grasp) and the practical implications.
I also attach the Profession of Faith, required by (Roman) Canon Law to be taken, generally by clergy, in certain circumstances, such as ordination, institution to a pastoral cure, and theological faculty positions. [Note: This attachment was missing from the original transmission from diocesan headquarters, but is supplied below from another internet source. - Webmaster] I also attach the section of Canon Law (for those who are curious), and a brief commentary on the Profession by the CDF. These date from the late 1990's, after the Catechism. I think they are helpful in seeing the differences in authoritative statements by the Magisterium. Not all authoritative statements of the Magisterium bear the same weight of authority, nor are they binding on believers in the same way. The commentary on the Profession makes this clearer.
The Papacy
551-3: Peter & the keys
816: Peter's pastoral care over the church
861-2: Peter & the apostles, and the succession
880-87: Pope & bishops
1444-5: Peter & binding & loosing
1553, 1559-61: Papal role in consecrating bishops
As Newman recognized, the Roman understanding of the Papacy, including universal, ordinary jurisdiction, as well as infallibility (the latter being formally defined after Newman became Roman), depend upon a particular view of development. The early popes did not claim or exercise jurisdiction outside the diocese of Rome. So the question becomes (a) do the Petrine texts in Scripture speak of the papacy as it has developed, thus equating Peter with the later popes? (And if not, what function do those texts have?) And (b) is the development consistent with its foundation in Scripture, the early councils and the Patristic church? I.e., is it a legitimate and godly development or some sort of aberration (as Luther, e.g. thought)? The Catechism, of course does not argue this, its purpose being rather to present the Roman teaching rather than offering thorough proof to those who may dispute it.
I would suggest that the 16th century disputes which led to the separation of the Church of England from the papacy can be safely left to one side at this point, leaving us to decide whether the position of the Catechism is persuasive. The question of universal ordinary jurisdiction remains with us, though I would venture that Henry's marital situation need not concern us here. The Articles do not directly address the issue (though XXXVII touches on the question of legal jurisdiction), presumably because by the time they were put in their present form in the reign of Elizabeth, papal jurisdiction in England had already been dealt with much earlier by Parliament.
Along with the question of universal papal jurisdiction is the question of dogmatic infallibility: the power to define dogma as binding on conscience which cannot be proven from Scripture (as is the case with the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin). Anglicans have generally accepted (as articulated in Article VI) that any dogma which is biding on conscience must be found in Scripture or provable from it. The Catechism teaches instead that the Magisterium can infallibly define dogma which might not meet this criterion.
Marian Dogmas
490-93: Immaculate conception
494-507: Mary's role in salvation
721-26: Marian titles
964-72: Mary's Motherhood, Assumption, Icon of the Church
cf. 773 on the Marain and Petrine dimensions of the church
cf. Article VI
The primary focus of the Catechism's teaching on Mary is the relation between the Blessed Virgin and God's plan for man's salvation. For us, the concern is two-fold: do we accept the Roman conception of Mary (including the immaculate conception and assumption)? And do we accept these teachings as dogma binding on conscience, rather than (say) pious opinions? The second question is not so much a question about the teaching itself as it is about the Magisterium which has defined these as binding dogma.
Merit, Purgatory, Indulgences
956, 2006-11 Merit
954-59: Communion of the saints
1020-22 & 1038-41: Judgment
1030-32: Purgatory
1471-79: Indulgences (this depends on 1446-84 on the sacrament of penance)
1854-64 & 1874-5: Mortal & venial sin
1987-2005: Justification & Grace
cf. Articles XI, XII, XIV, XXII
Note that the Catechism is careful to indicate that human merit is always derived from Christ's merit (though this does not entirely dispose of the concern that all talk of merit may have a tendency to undermine a sound understanding of grace). Note also that the section on indulgences is entirely in small print, as being of more interest to teachers of the faith than to the faithful themselves.
The Roman understanding of penance, which affects the ideas of merit and indulgences, depends on two distinctions: that between mortal and venial sins, and that between temporal and eternal punishments which are due to our sins. These were clearly articulated at the Council of Trent (which is worth reading if you have concerns or questions). The Roman practice of penance is somewhat different from the Anglican, mainly, I think, because of its use of these distinctions in its foundation. The bottom line is that to accept the Roman position requires acceptance of (a) the foundational distinctions between mortal and venial sin and between temporal and eternal punishment due to sin, (b) that the Church (in the person of the pope) has the God-given power to apply the merits of Christ to the needs of members of the church (on earth or in purgatory), (c) that there is purgatory, and (d) an acceptance of the Roman
understanding of justification. Some though not all Anglicans may differ about the last.
Ecclesiology
811-865, esp. 811 (“sole church”), 816 (Roman & Petrine claims), 818-21 (unity and non-Romans), 830-35
(catholicity), 836-48 (separated Christians)
2089: heresy and schism defined
2041-43: precepts of the faith
cf. Articles XIX & XX
As one would expect the papacy looms large in the understanding of the church, its structure and internal relations. In addition, some reading of canon law (available on the Vatican web site) is useful to get a sense of how canon law functions in the structured practice of the church – a rather different way than for Anglicans. Note that the Catechism does not pretend to cover all questions. It offers no discussion (e.g.) about how the church is administered (including the Curia), how dogmatic discipline is administered (an obvious concern in the United States), how clergy are chosen for preferment, etc.
Transubstantiation
1374-81: Transubstantiation
cf. Article XXVII
Anglicans (especially Anglo-Catholics) have insisted on the Real Presence, and generally resisted all attempts to define how the Presence occurs. This differs from the Roman position.
Many other matters (clerical celibacy, marriage, images, prayers for the departed, prayers to the saints, works of supererogation, the canonical status of the Apocryphal books, original sin,social justice issues, euthanasia, etc.) may be of concern to one person or another. Fortunately the Catechism has a good index, and relevant passages are generally easily found. I have not attempted to list everything here.
Produced in response to a “request” from Fr Kerouac
David Ousley
St Michael the Archangel, Philadelphia
July 16, 2010 (Our Lady of Mount Carmel)
davidousley@verizon.net
Attachment:
PROFESSION OF FAITH and THE OATH OF FIDELITY
ON ASSUMING AN OFFICE TO BE EXERCISED IN THE NAME OF THE CHURCH
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
As conforming to Pope John Paul II's Apostolic Letter Motu Proprio Ad Tuendam Fidem, this Profession of Faith and Oath of Fidelity supercedes the Profession and Oath of 1989.
I. PROFESSION OF FAITH
I, N., with firm faith believe and profess everything that is contained in the Symbol of faith: namely:
I believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten not made, one in Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation, he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. I believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
With firm faith, I also believe everything contained in the Word of God, whether written or handed down in Tradition, which the Church, either by a solemn judgment or by the ordinary and universal Magisterium, sets forth to be believed as divinely revealed.
I also firmly accept and hold each and everything definitively proposed by the Church regarding teaching on faith and morals.
Moreover, I adhere with religious submission of will and intellect to the teachings which either the Roman pontiff or the College of Bishops enunciate when they exercise their authentic Magisterium, even if they do not intend to proclaim these teachings by a definitive act.
II. OATH OF FIDELITY ON ASSUMING AN OFFICE TO BE EXERCISED IN THE NAME OF THE CHURCH
(Formula to be used by the Christian faithful mentioned in Canon 833, nn. 5-8)
I, N., in assuming the office of _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ , promise that in my words and in my actions I shall always preserve communion with the Catholic Church.
With great care and fidelity I shall carry out the duties incumbent on me toward the Church, both universal and particular, in which, according to the provisions of the law, I have been called to exercise my service.
In fulfilling the charge entrusted to me in the name of the Church, I shall hold fast to the deposit of faith in its entirety; I shall faithfully hand it on and explain it, and I shall avoid any teachings contrary to it.
I shall follow and foster the common discipline of the entire Church and I shall maintain the observance of all ecclesiastical laws, especially those contained in the Code of Canon Law.
With Christian obedience I shall follow what the Bishops, as authentic doctors and teachers of the faith, declare, or what they, as those who govern the Church, establish.
I shall also faithfully assist the diocesan Bishops, so that the apostolic activity, exercised in the name and by mandate of the Church, may be carried out in communion with the Church.
So help me God, and God's Holy Gospels on which I place my hand.
(Variations in the fourth and fifth paragraphs of the formulary, for use by those members of the Christian faithful indicated in can. 833, n. 8).
I shall foster the common discipline of the entire Church and I shall insist on the observance of all ecclesiastical laws, especially those contained in the Code of Canon Law.
With Christian obedience I shall follow what the Bishops, as authentic doctors and teachers of the faith, declare, or what they, as those who govern the Church, establish. I shall also — with due regard for the character and purpose of my institute — faithfully assist the diocesan Bishops, so that the apostolic activity, exercised in the name and by mandate of the Church, may be carried out in communion with the Church.
NOTE: Canon 833, Nos. 5-8 obliges the following to make the profession of faith: vicars general, episcopal vicars and judicial vicars; "at the beginning of their term of office, pastors, the rector of a seminary and the professors of theology and philosophy in seminaries; those to be promoted to the diaconate"; "the rectors of an ecclesiastical or Catholic university at the beginning of the rector's term of office"; and, "at the beginning of their term of office, teachers in any universities whatsoever who teach disciplines which deal with faith or morals"; and "superiors in clerical religious institutes and societies of apostolic life in accord with the norm of the constitutions."Taken from: L'Osservatore Romano, Weekly Edition in English, 15 July 1998, page 3 L'Osservatore Romano is the newspaper of the Holy See. The Weekly Edition in English is published for the US by: The Cathedral Foundation L'Osservatore Romano English Edition P.O. Box 777 Baltimore, MD 21201 Subscriptions: (410) 547-5380 Provided Courtesy of: Eternal Word Television Network 5817 Old Leeds Road Irondale, AL 35210 www.ewtn.com [http://www.ewtn.com/library/curia/cdfoath.htm]
Statement from All Saints Church, Palatka, Florida
[ Note: Due so some confusion over the official status of the following statement, it was temporarily removed from this page. I have since had a note from the Rector, Fr John Jacobs, who explains that a series of misunderstandings led to what was to have been a draft being released instead of the statement officially passed by the Vestry. He writes, "While we all, including [the author of the draft] would have liked the amended version to have been used, any attempt to do so now would only compound the problem. Therefore, the Vestry and I have decided to let that statement stand as is. Also, it is the will of the Parish that we not avail ourselves of the Ordinariate. In the end, ignoring process, timing, and emotions, the declaration is the position of All Saints Anglican Church, Palatka, FL and you may still in good conscience have it listed on your website." The statement is accordingly restored below. -- SLE+]
All Saints Palatka to Remain a Faithful Anglican Parish
The Rector, Vestry and Congregation of All Saints Anglican Church in Palatka, has elected not to affiliate with, or become a part of any Personal Ordinariate , as provided for by the Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum Coetibus. We reject the Apostolic Constitution, the complementary norms, and the Roman Catholic code of Canon law of 1983 in its entirety. We insist upon maintaining the Traditional Anglican Faith, rooted in the traditions of the Church Of England, the Book of Common Prayer, and its form of worship. It is our intention to remain a Parish in good standing of the ACA, in communion with those bishops who are committed not to be part of the Ordinariate Scheme.
With deepest respect, All Saints Parish Palatka, its Vestry and its Rector are desirous to communicate our intentions, without delay, to our Bishop, fellow Parishes within DEUS and to the leaders of The Anglican Church in America. We know that we have competent Clergy leaders within the diocese who will remain faithful to their call to shepherd the flocks that God has given them to care for. Therefore, we go forward without fear or hesitation, strong in the knowledge and conviction that Christ Jesus Himself, through the power of the Holy Spirit is leading and guiding us. We will be waiting with confidence for the realignment of those
Parishes in the DEUS and the ACA that share common beliefs and a desire to retain our Anglo Catholic Heritage.
July 18,2010
A Man Sent from God Whose Name is BENEDICT
by Bishop Robert Mercer, CR
Sometime Bishop of the Anglican Catholic Church of Canada (Traditional Anglican Communion)
“Leading men and women to God, to the God Who speaks in the Bible: this is the supreme and fundamental priority of the Church.”
Three guesses as to who said this. Billy Graham, John Wesley, Martin Luther, or an evangelical Anglican like John Stott of All Souls, Langham Place, London?
No, Pope Benedict XVI.
It’s no wonder that this Pope appeals more and more to evangelical Christians, to Anglicans and to the Orthodox. Some of us have been deceived by the liberal media or even by liberal Roman Catholics into writing him off as “the rottweiler cardinal” or “the panzer cardinal”. But like another elderly pope who came to office late in life, John XXIII, this man is full of astonishing surprises.
For one thing, he wants us all to know and love the Bible as he himself does. He quotes St. Jerome with approval, the 5th century translator of the Bible. “Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ”. And again, “Read the Scriptures frequently; may your hands never set the Holy Book down. Learn here what you must teach”. This Pope’s big book is not a defence of himself and his own denomination but Jesus of Nazareth. His smaller books The Apostles and St. Paul are simple Bible studies which he gave to large crowds in St. Peter’s Square. Church Fathers is simple teaching about those whom our Prayer Book calls “ancient authors” (introduction to the ordination services). The Pope regards the Biblical writers as “our normative theologians”. Among his favourite theologians are St. Paul and St. Augustine of North Africa, a fact which should endear him to all good Protestants. Another favourite is John Henry Newman, the Anglican Vicar who became a Roman Catholic and who loved the Greek Fathers of the ancient Church.
Talk of Church Fathers (or seminal influences) tells us that the next thing to astonish us about this Pope is his commitment to ecumenism. He reveres the Jews. He has been on pilgrimage to Auschwitz; he has visited the Synagogue in Rome. (An earlier Pope had said, “Spiritually we are all Semites”.) Benedict helped forge a document of agreement with Lutherans about “justification by faith”; he has preached in the Lutheran church in Rome. Benedict helped forge a document of agreement with the Coptic church of Egypt. Discreet dialogue with the Orthodox Churches is under way though as the Orthodox tend to be as fissiparous as Anglicans, progress is slow. The Russian Orthodox are especially amiable. The Pope and the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople presided together over a joint celebration of St. Paul in St. Paul Outside-the-Walls, Rome, where the Apostle is buried.
The Pope’s understanding of his own limitations as under the authority of Scripture, reassures other Christians. “The Pope is not an absolute monarch whose thoughts and desires are law. On the contrary: the Pope’s ministry is a guarantee of obedience to Christ and His Word. The Pope must not proclaim his own ideas, but rather constantly bind himself and the church to obedience to God’s Word, in the face of every attempt to adapt the Word or to water it down, and in the face of every form of opportunism”. He sees the church as a communion of people united within the relationships within the Trinity, not as an institution for administration. He sees Christian discipleship as a personal living relationship with Jesus, rather than as keeping rules or as knowing all the right answers.
It is Benedict’s generosity to Anglicans which astonishes us most of all. Dialogue about rapprochement between Anglicans and Rome has been going on and off for some 400 years, mostly off. Fr. Michael Rear, a Roman Catholic priest, has summarised this history in articles which appeared in The Catholic Herald and in New Directions. There is a whole book by two Anglicans, Rome and Canterbury Through Four Centuries, by Barnard and Margaret Pawley. The story is too long to repeat here. A hopeful moment was the Malines Conversations held in Belgium between 1921 and 1925. There is a book about these too, called A Brother Knocking at the Door by Bernard Barlow. It was from those conversations that we got the motto United but not Absorbed. Abbot Lambert Beauduin had written, “An Anglican church absorbed by Rome and an Anglican church separated from Rome are equally inadmissible.”
Since 1969 there have been ongoing talks between Rome and the Anglican Communion called ARCIC for short, Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission. Remarkable concord has been established about all sorts of issues. However, at the same time as they were trying to reach unity with Rome, Anglicans were equally busy erecting fresh barriers to unity: the ordination of women, the endorsement of clergypersons who were practising homosexuals, the invention of gay marriages, the endorsement of abortion. ARCIC is not now going anywhere. However, we of the Traditional Anglican Communion and some members of Forward in Faith have said to Rome, “But we are still here. Why not let ARCIC dialogue pass to us?”
Pope Benedict had written that Catholics can not demand that other churches be disbanded and their members individually incorporated into the Catholic Church. They must remain in existence as churches with only those modifications which unity necessarily requires. The Catholic church has no right to absorb other churches. The Catholic church has not yet prepared for other churches a place of their own. Once the Bishops and Vicar’s General of the Traditional Anglican Communion had signed The Catechism of the Catholic Church and unanimously applied for reconciliation, the Pope set in train among theologians and administrators at the Vatican the two year long process which resulted in the Apostolic Constitution, Anglicanorum coetibus or Groups of Anglicans. He did not make the first move. He is not stealing sheep. It was we who approached him.
Naturally enough, as with engaged couples before they marry, there are some anxieties as we await developments. You will not financially support pederastic clergymen in Ireland or elsewhere. I have known one or two such but they were married Anglican priests. You will not have to eat fish on Fridays even if you dislike it. You will not have to go to confession on Friday. You will not have to write an exam on the Catechism of the Catholic Church. RC laity don’t. Why should you? Your parish council will not have to send donations to Rome. RC parishes don’t. Why should yours? You will not have to submit to a bully. Cardinal Ratzinger and two of his staff gave me over an hour of their time in Rome in 1985 when we talked unity. He is the gentlest, most courteous of men, a skilled listener. Conversely, you can still treasure our Prayer Book catechism which serves a different purpose from the Roman one. Ours is a preparation for those hoping to be confirmed. The Roman one is a fat compendium of theology to be referred to, stuffed full of Bible, ancient authors and quotations from saintly people.
As to “concessions”, so to speak, it is Rome which has made most. We retain our identity and our Anglican heritage or patrimony; our Prayer Book tradition of worship, our hymns and music; our married clergy; our esteemed place for the laity. An editorial in the Catholic weekly, The Tablet, put it like this, “Roman Catholic doctrinally but Anglican culturally” which is not quite how we’d put it, but we know what the editor is trying to say. Our only disappointment is no married bishops. After all, St. Peter the first Pope had a wife (Matthew 8:14. 1 Corinthians 9:5). However, Rome’s reason is impeccable. The rapprochement of Eastern Christianity and Western, the two lungs of the one church, is what matters most, and as yet it is the Orthodox who can not stomach the thought of married bishops. And by the way, the word Ordinary is a Prayer Book one found in the ordination service and there meaning bishop. “Will you reverently obey your Ordinary unto whom is given the charge and government over you?”
We are not asked to repent of being Anglican, to repudiate our past. We shall continue to revere our scholars and saints and to learn from them. (I have heard Handel in St. Peter’s, Rome.) We are not described as converting but as “entering into full and visible communion”. We shall indeed enter into communion with millions and millions more Christians round the world. Think of what this means when we travel; when our own isolated folk can’t find Traditional Anglican groups; when we are with Catholic relatives and friends. However, Rome does require us to assuage their scruples about us. How can they be really sure that we were validly baptized, confirmed, ordained? After all, in the Anglican communion as it now is, people are not necessarily baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. Nor are they necessarily confirmed. Laymen claim to celebrate the holy communion. Women claim to be bishops, priests and deacons. How can Rome sort out this confusion, and who can blame Rome for being confused? If at the altar rail we are each anointed, then all Romans will be satisfied that we have indeed been initiated into the body of Christ. If our clergy are ordained, then all Romans will be satisfied that our clergy are indeed bishops, priests and deacons. It was an Anglican bishop in the 1950’s who persuaded me that if our orders were the only thing keeping us apart, we ought to meet Rome’s needs in this regard. I am glad to do so.
“This is the Lord’s doing: and it is marvellous in our eyes. This is the day which the Lord hath made: we will rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118: 24-25).
+ Robert Mercer CR
As this is not a learned paper I have not cited any of the above quotations, but they and much fascinating information can be obtained from:
Covenant and Communion: The Biblical Theology of Benedict XVI by Scott HahnRatzinger’s Faith: the Theology of Benedict XVI by Mrs Tracey RowlandThe Thought of Benedict XVI by Aidan Nichols OP, an ex Anglican.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
ACA House of Bishop’s Endorsement of Apostolic Constitution
Regarding Communion with Rome
(published on March 18, 2010)
1. What did the House of Bishops actually decide?
On March 3, 2010, the House of Bishops of the Anglican Church in America of the Traditional Anglican Communion made the decision formally to request the implementation of the provisions of the Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum coetibus in the United States of America by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
2. Does this mean ACA parishes will be going immediately to Rome?
No. In fact, no one is "going to Rome." Once a US ordinariate (the structure defined in the Apostolic Constitution) has been established, each of the ACA dioceses and its constituent parishes will decide whether or not they wish to join the ordinariate. Establishing the ordinariate (the “implementation” requested by the Bishops) is thus the next step in an ongoing process, with discernment at each step.
3. What does the vote of the House of Bishops signify?
The House of Bishops requested the establishment of an Ordinariate in the US as prescribed in the Apostolic Constitution, so as to have an actual entity with which to interact, as we address relational details.
4. What about “Anglican Use” parishes in the Roman Catholic Church?
These are existing Roman Catholic parishes which have permission to use an Anglican liturgy. We will be working with them to seek guidance and identify issues in regard to the association with Rome. We anticipate that most, if not all, such parishes will join the ordinariate.
5. How does this affect Anglicans worldwide?
The Traditional Anglican Communion, with about half a million members in 44 countries, is not part of the Anglican Communion headed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, but is under the leadership of Archbishop John Hepworth of Australia. Our relationship with the Holy See under the terms of the Apostolic Constitution neither implies nor precludes similar relationships involving other
6. Will the parishes of the ACA decide individually regarding following the national church in the final arrangements between the TAC and Rome?
Yes, and providing continued pastoral care and oversight to parishes which need time to discern their course of action is a high priority for the ACA Bishops.
7. What concerns have our members expressed in regard to establishing full communion with the Roman Catholic Church?
Our first desire is to follow our Lord's will for His Church. We are seeking full sacramental unity with the Roman Catholic Church, not absorption. We wish to safeguard the unique gifts and charisms we have developed during our 450-year separation, so that they can enrich the whole church. Expressed in different ways by our members, the potential loss of these gifts is our single biggest concern.
8. Why Is losing Anglican identity such a concern?
There are 1 billion Roman Catholics and only about half a million of us worldwide. The fear of being “swallowed up” in such a case is understandable. Our determination to preserve those things which characterize us, and a clearly-stated similar intent expressed in the Apostolic Constitution, as well as in many Vatican statements issued during the last 50 years, make us confident that “united, but not absorbed” will be the guiding principle of our relationship.
9. How long has the TAC-Rome dialogue been going on?
About 20 years, with especially earnest effort in the last five years, first under Pope John Paul II and Cardinal Ratzinger, and most recently under Pope Benedict XVI. Archbishop Hepworth has been in the forefront of the recent dialogue, and in 2005, the US church endorsed his intent to present our 2007 petition for full communion with Rome.
10. What is the next step in the process?
Establishing an ordinariate and continuing dialogue with the Vatican concerning issues which have generated additional questions. The dialogue will include face-to-face meetings this year with Vatican representatives.
11. Was the Apostolic Constitution not sufficient for outlining the process?
The Apostolic Constitution is a general framework, applicable to a wide range of Anglican situations, and the dialogue in the next phase will address items that apply specifically to the Traditional Anglican Communion.
+ + +
[Archbishop Louis Falk, President of the ACA's House of Bishops, served as the first Primate of the Traditional Anglican Communion. He recently retired as Bishop of the Diocese of the Missouri Valley.]
(Original at http://acahomeorg0.web701.discountasp.net/)
22 November 2009 - Sunday Next Before Advent
To all the Faithful of the Anglican Church in America
Greeting:
The great Orthodox theologian John Meyendorff has been quoted as remarking that genuine Christian unity would require humility on the part of many, and charity on the part of all. I suggest that to those two paramount Christian virtues we must add the more workaday quality of patience. It took 450 years to raise all the questions posed by the possibility of real and corporate unity between Roman Catholics and Anglicans. We will not have all the answers in 450 minutes.
Yet with the publication of Pope Benedict XVI's Apostolic Constitution, Anglicanorum coetibus we do now have the possibility of addressing those issues directly and in cooperation with each other. As most everyone knows by now, the Bishops of the Traditional Anglican Communion, meeting in October of 2007 in Portsmouth, England, addressed a petition to the Holy See seeking to explore what would need to be done to achieve full, visible unity while maintaining the best characteristics of our beloved Anglican heritage. The Apostolic Constitution is meant to provide an approach to just that question. It is an extremely generous and pastoral document. Indeed, it explicitly address the desirability of preserving our Anglican "...spiritual and liturgical patrimony ..." intact and undamaged after the ravages of such as Jenkins, Spong, Robinson and Schori.
An initial set of Complementary Norms has been issued by the Confraternity for the Doctrine of the Faith, which we be discussed in detail by representatives of that body and of the TAC College of Bishops within the near future. We are now asking members of the ACA (and other TAC provinces) to study the Norms and then pose such question as may occur. (Some already have, such as: Question: Will we be able to continue to have married priests indefinitely? Answer: Yes. Question: Will those of us who were formerly Roman Catholics be excluded from the Anglican Ordinariates? Answer No. Question: Will we loose control over our Church finances and property? Answer: No) There will be more. These can be sent to your own Bishop, and he will see that they get to the appropriate TAC representatives. Your concerns, as well as your thoughts and prayers, are an essential element and a vital part of this process.
Bishop Langberg has remarked that library shelves around the world are packed with books and papers on the topic of 'ecumenism.' Up to now it's all been theory; but with respect to the world's largest Communion of Christians, there has been no "test case" or anything like it, trying to work out "how it will work" on the ground. That opportunity has now been presented to us. In view of our Lord's prayer (John 17) that all his followers might be one, the fact places upon us, and upon our Roman Catholic counterparts, a very great responsibility along with the opportunity. The real-world answer to that practical question will be worked out in real life and in real time as we move forward.
This will require genuine good faith on all sides. That we come in good faith can be seen from the "Portsmouth Letter." That our Roman Catholic counterparts come likewise can be seen from Pope Benedict's unprecedented offer of a parallel structure for Anglican Catholics, a "House of our own" (as it were) within the "compound of Catholicity." Ecclesiastical life within the colony will evolve over time as adjustments are made. We trust each other enough to begin our ecclesiastical journey together in the ACA with an original canonical structure based on what we had know in the past. We have adjusted that structure more than once as circumstances has show the wisdom of doing so. Christians of good will can and must continue that process together in unity as Jesus commanded us to do. He promised us the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and his promise remains true.
Yours in Christ Jesus,
+Louis W. Falk
President: House of Bishops.
+ + +
October 26, 2009
Commemoration of Alfred the Great, King and Confessor
Dear Family in Christ,
Please be aware at the outset that, while I have given Bishop Campese an opportunity to review what follows and offer advice and counsel prior to its publication, in the end I am speaking for myself alone. This is a pastoral letter, not an official ACA statement or analysis.
Last Tuesday’s announcement that the Vatican will soon formally establish a system for making it possible for Anglicans to enter into full communion with the Roman Catholic Church has generated a mass of commentary in the media and on the internet. Some of it is accurate, a great deal of it is simply speculative, much of it is just plain wrong, and, sad to say, too much of it tells us more about the prejudices of the authors than about anything substantive.
The volume of material is understandable, considering the momentous nature of the news. This is probably the most significant development in interchurch relations in the lifetime of any of us.
The principal documents and reports concerning this development, including the statement of the Anglican Church in America’s Council of Bishops and our own Bishop’s Pastoral Letter, are posted on the parish web site (www.stpetersanglicanchurch.net). For the time being – until we can read the actual English text of the Apostolic Constitution, which has not been released at this writing – please use these as your primary sources of information and guidance.
In the meantime, I would encourage you to keep several things in mind as we evaluate this opportunity for the fulfillment of our Lord’s high priestly prayer (see John 17) that we “all may be one.”
+ It is neither appropriate nor wise to take a fixed position on this matter based on the information we have at this time: All we have is a general description of what the Apostolic Constitution is intended to do; speculation about the details of how its intention may be implemented is just that – speculation. Remember the adage about acting on assumptions unsupported by evidence: If you decide merely on what you assume is true, you make an “ass” of “u” and “me”. (assume = ass+u+me)
+ Study this matter with prayer, care and humility – ask the Holy Ghost to stand at your elbow constantly to enable a candid consideration of the evidence.
+ In weighing the evidence, give more credence to primary sources – such as the Apostolic Constitution and The Catechism of the Catholic Church – than to secondary sources. In this specific instance, pay more attention to what the Catholic Church says about itself than to what others (including professing Catholics) say about it or what others say about what it says about itself.
+ Become aware of your own prejudices and examine them carefully for conformity with the standard of truth. None of us approaches this (or anything else we care about) from a purely objective standpoint. All of us are influenced by personal experience, the opinions of trusted others, societal and cultural factors, and so forth, which frequently make it difficult to focus on what is actually said or written and read into it shades of meaning that are insupportable.
+ Be aware that when we think about the “Roman Catholic Church,” we generally are thinking about only one part of that communion, which is the Latin Rite. This is understandable, since with about a billion members, the Latin Rite is far and away the largest particular church in communion with Rome, but it is not accurate: There are actually around two dozen other particular churches fully in communion with the Pope, and their members are conscious of themselves as, for example Ukrainian or Ruthenian or Malankarese Catholics, not Roman Catholics. Their forefathers did not surrender their particular cultural, liturgical, or ethnic identities when they entered into communion with Rome, and what we know so far clearly indicates that the provision for Anglicans will be no different in principle. Indeed, it seems to me that the best way of describing what is being proposed is a structure to enable Anglicans, not to become Roman (i.e., Latin Rite) Catholics, but to enter into full communion with Rome as Anglicans.
+ Be aware that, historically speaking, it is not essential to “Anglican identity” either that (a) one be in communion with Canterbury and/or (b) that one be out of communion with Rome. There are still some who assert, and more who assume or imply, that this is the case.
+ Be aware that, if you want to hear God laugh, just tell him what you will never do. I can tell you from personal experience that my most passionate assertions of what I would never do frequently drew their intensity from an unacknowledged sense that what I would “never” do was just what I “ought” to do.
Before leaving you to digest and apply this advice, I think it is only right that you should know what is my own disposition toward this development. Please be aware that what I say is, and at this stage can only be, provisional: I haven’t seen the official document yet, let alone had the opportunity to translate it from what, even in English, will be “Romespeak.” Keeping that caution, in mind, here is what I think:
My overall response to this news is very positive and hopeful. There are a number of reasons for this, most important among them being
+ the evolution of my own doctrinal thinking and historical reflection, which has essentially erased from my playbook the typical objections against the Roman communion used by Anglicans of all stripes of churchmanship;
+ the realization that, on every major issue of personal morality laid before mankind for the last century and the Roman communion has been consistently right and thus has more in common with traditional Anglican catholics than they do with the Anglican Communion of which many of them have been, and some still are, a part;
+ an increasing conviction, shared with several of our TAC bishops, that the results of the “Anglican experiment” in sustaining a Catholic Church that is non-papal indicate an answer in the negative; and, most importantly
+ a deepening desire to see manifested outwardly and visibly the union in truth for which the Lord Jesus prays.
Make no mistake: That I am a catholic Christian and a catholic priest is something of which I have no doubt. But in light of all that is happening and of all that has happened, both to me and to Anglican Christianity, it seems an inescapable imperative that our inner unity in the truth of the Gospel must be manifested outwardly and visibly and in such a way that the many expressions of the one Faith that are in accord with that Gospel be gathered together so that, as integral parts of one great jewel, they may cast the Light that cannot be extinguished across a dark and needy world. To be sure, “it is the Spirit that giveth life,” but as essential to the full appreciation of the way God works within and among us is the knowledge that “a body hast thou given me,” and that mystical Body is called into “the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
Let us with humble hearts and childlike trust wait upon the guidance of the Lord of the Church in these exciting days.
Faithfully yours,
Fr Samuel L. Edwards
Vicar
+ + +
Diocese of the Eastern United States
Anglican Church in America,(ACA/TAC)
Cathedral Of The Incarnation
The Rt. Revd. Louis Campese, Bishop Ordinary
October 22, 2009
My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
First of all, I am sure most of you by now have heard the recent worldwide news that the Vatican has released a statement, saying in essence that Anglicans would be able "to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church, while preserving elements of the distinctive Anglican spirituality and liturgical Patrimony."
This is an extraordinary development in the life and witness of both the Anglican and Roman Catholics worldwide. This Papal Decree expresses sincere generosity toward Anglicans, while recognizing the ultimate goal of inter-communion, a goal the worldwide Traditional Anglican Communion, has worked so patiently toward.
My phone began ringing at 7:20AM on Tuesday, when an excited certain Sr. Warden, could not wait to share the news, and the rest of that day is a blur, as, I finally got to go to sleep at 11PM with still many unanswered phone calls and email messages - it has been virtually non-stop since this historic news broke.
Like my brother Bishops have said: "in all cases, these conversations and communications lean toward one fundamental question: "what does this mean to me and my church?" Let me assure you all, that in the immediate future, there will be no changes whatsoever. Our Church structures have not changed, our awesome liturgy remains intact and I know all our clergy will continue their Pastoral care, as they always have. The only thing, in fact, that has changed is that we have received an affirmative letter from the Holy See, a letter that holds out the promise of greater unity for our church. Our next step will be to study the Apostolic Constitution that has been developed for the purpose of providing a structure to any inter-communion arrangement. The House of Bishops has agreed to give "serious, prayerful reflection" to this document, once we receive it.
I ask you all to pray to God for guidance and I ask your prayers for us all; prayers for the unity of the church, prayers that we all exercise the discernment to see God's will, and, I join many of our Bishop's to ask you to read for the next four Sundays, passages from St. John's Gospel that we all hold so dear... (St. John 17 v v.20-26).
I pray this will help to bring us to a clear understanding of God's will for all of us.
At this moment, my brothers and sisters, we have received a message. It is a message of hope and encouragement. While it is a glorious and historical moment in time, we must remember that it is a moment only. There are many more steps that we must take, many more decisions we must reach and many more prayers that must be prayed before we attain that final goal of inter communion, where we may all be unified once again in the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church where God wishes us to be.
Your Servant in Christ Jesus,
The Rt. Revd. Louis Campese, Bishop Ordinary
+ + +
Traditional Anglican Communion Responds to Pope's Offer of Ecclesiastical refuge
by John Hepworth
20th October 2009
I have spent this evening speaking to bishops, priests and lay people of the Traditional Anglican Communion in England, Africa, Australia, India, Canada, the United States and South America.
We are profoundly moved by the generosity of the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI. He offers in this Apostolic Constitution the means for "former Anglicans to enter into the fullness of communion with the Catholic Church". He hopes that we can "find in this canonical structure the opportunity to preserve those Anglican traditions precious to us and consistent with the Catholic faith". He then warmly states "we are happy that these men and women bring with them their particular contributions to our common life of faith".
May I firstly state that this is an act of great goodness on the part of the Holy Father. He has dedicated his pontificate to the cause of unity. It more than matches the dreams we dared to include in our petition of two years ago. It more than matches our prayers. In those two years, we have become very conscious of the prayers of our friends in the Catholic Church. Perhaps their prayers dared to ask even more than ours.
While we await the full text of the Apostolic Constitution, we are also moved by the pastoral nature of the Notes issued today by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. My fellow bishops have indeed signed the Catechism of the Catholic Church and made a statement about the ministry of the Bishop of Rome, reflecting the words of Pope John Paul II in his letter "Ut Unum Sint" ["That they may be one"].
Other Anglican groups have indicated to the Holy See a similar desire and a similar acceptance of Catholic faith. As Cardinal Levada has indicated, this response to Anglican petitions is to be of a global character. It will now be for these groups to forge a close cooperation, even where they transcend the existing boundaries of the Anglican Communion.
Fortunately, the Statement issued by the Archbishop of Canterbury reflects the understanding that we have gained from him that he does not stand in our way, and understands the decisions that we have reached. Both his reaction and our petition are fruits of a century of prayer for Christian unity, a cause that many times must have seemed forlorn. We now express our gratitude to Archbishop Williams, and have regularly assured him of our prayers. The See of Augustine remains a focus of our pilgrim way, as it was in ages of faith in the past.
I have made a commitment to the Traditional Anglican Communion that the response of the Holy See will be taken to each of our National Synods. They have already endorsed our pathway. Now the Holy See challenges us to seek in the specific structures that are now available the "full, visible unity, especially Eucharistic communion", for which we have long prayed and about which we have long dreamed. That process will begin at once.
In the Anglican Office of Morning Prayer, the great Hymn of Thanksgiving, the Te Deum, is part of the daily Order. It is with heartfelt thanks to Almighty God, the Lord and Source of all peace and unity, that the hymn is on our lips today. This is a moment of grace, perhaps even a moment of history, not because the past is undone, but because the past is transformed.
----Archbishop John Hepworth is Primate of the Traditional Anglican Communion
+ + +
NOTE OF THE CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH ABOUT PERSONAL ORDINARIATES FOR ANGLICANS ENTERING THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
With the preparation of an Apostolic Constitution, the Catholic Church is responding to the many requests that have been submitted to the Holy See from groups of Anglican clergy and faithful in different parts of the world who wish to enter into full visible communion.
In this Apostolic Constitution the Holy Father has introduced a canonical structure that provides for such corporate reunion by establishing Personal Ordinariates, which will allow former Anglicans to enter full communion with the Catholic Church while preserving elements of the distinctive Anglican spiritual and liturgical patrimony. Under the terms of the Apostolic Constitution, pastoral oversight and guidance will be provided for groups of former Anglicans through a Personal Ordinariate, whose Ordinary will usually be appointed from among former Anglican clergy.
The forthcoming Apostolic Constitution provides a reasonable and even necessary response to a world-wide phenomenon, by offering a single canonical model for the universal Church which is adaptable to various local situations and equitable to former Anglicans in its universal application. It provides for the ordination as Catholic priests of married former Anglican clergy. Historical and ecumenical reasons preclude the ordination of married men as bishops in both the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. The Constitution therefore stipulates that the Ordinary can be either a priest or an unmarried bishop. The seminarians in the Ordinariate are to be prepared alongside other Catholic seminarians, though the Ordinariate may establish a house of formation to address the particular needs of formation in the Anglican patrimony. In this way, the Apostolic Constitution seeks to balance on the one hand the concern to preserve the worthy Anglican liturgical and spiritual patrimony and, on the other hand, the concern that these groups and their clergy will be integrated into the Catholic Church.
Cardinal William Levada, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith which has prepared this provision, said: "We have been trying to meet the requests for full communion that have come to us from Anglicans in different parts of the world in recent years in a uniform and equitable way. With this proposal the Church wants to respond to the legitimate aspirations of these Anglican groups for full and visible unity with the Bishop of Rome, successor of St. Peter."
These Personal Ordinariates will be formed, as needed, in consultation with local Conferences of Bishops, and their structure will be similar in some ways to that of the Military Ordinariates which have been established in most countries to provide pastoral care for the members of the armed forces and their dependents throughout the world. "Those Anglicans who have approached the Holy See have made clear their desire for full, visible unity in the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. At the same time, they have told us of the importance of their Anglican traditions of spirituality and worship for their faith journey," Cardinal Levada said.
The provision of this new structure is consistent with the commitment to ecumenical dialogue, which continues to be a priority for the Catholic Church, particularly through the efforts of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity. "The initiative has come from a number of different groups of Anglicans," Cardinal Levada went on to say: "They have declared that they share the common Catholic faith as it is expressed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church and accept the Petrine ministry as something Christ willed for the Church. For them, the time has come to express this implicit unity in the visible form of full communion."
According to Levada: "It is the hope of the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, that the Anglican clergy and faithful who desire union with the Catholic Church will find in this canonical structure the opportunity to preserve those Anglican traditions precious to them and consistent with the Catholic faith. Insofar as these traditions express in a distinctive way the faith that is held in common, they are a gift to be shared in the wider Church. The unity of the Church does not require a uniformity that ignores cultural diversity, as the history of Christianity shows. Moreover, the many diverse traditions present in the Catholic Church today are all rooted in the principle articulated by St. Paul in his letter to the Ephesians: ‘There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism’ (4:5). Our communion is therefore strengthened by such legitimate diversity, and so we are happy that these men and women bring with them their particular contributions to our common life of faith."
Background information
Since the sixteenth century, when King Henry VIII declared the Church in England independent of Papal Authority, the Church of England has created its own doctrinal confessions, liturgical books, and pastoral practices, often incorporating ideas from the Reformation on the European continent. The expansion of the British Empire, together with Anglican missionary work, eventually gave rise to a world-wide Anglican Communion.
Throughout the more than 450 years of its history the question of the reunification of Anglicans and Catholics has never been far from mind. In the mid-nineteenth century the Oxford Movement (in England) saw a rekindling of interest in the Catholic aspects of Anglicanism. In the early twentieth century Cardinal Mercier of Belgium entered into well publicized conversations with Anglicans to explore the possibility of union with the Catholic Church under the banner of an Anglicanism "reunited but not absorbed".
At the Second Vatican Council hope for union was further nourished when the Decree on Ecumenism (n. 13), referring to communions separated from the Catholic Church at the time of the Reformation, stated that: "Among those in which Catholic traditions and institutions in part continue to exist, the Anglican Communion occupies a special place."
Since the Council, Anglican-Roman Catholic relations have created a much improved climate of mutual understanding and cooperation. The Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC) produced a series of doctrinal statements over the years in the hope of creating the basis for full and visible unity. For many in both communions, the ARCIC statements provided a vehicle in which a common expression of faith could be recognized. It is in this framework that this new provision should be seen.
In the years since the Council, some Anglicans have abandoned the tradition of conferring Holy Orders only on men by calling women to the priesthood and the episcopacy. More recently, some segments of the Anglican Communion have departed from the common biblical teaching on human sexuality—already clearly stated in the ARCIC document "Life in Christ"—by the ordination of openly homosexual clergy and the blessing of homosexual partnerships. At the same time, as the Anglican Communion faces these new and difficult challenges, the Catholic Church remains fully committed to continuing ecumenical engagement with the Anglican Communion, particularly through the efforts of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity.
In the meantime, many individual Anglicans have entered into full communion with the Catholic Church. Sometimes there have been groups of Anglicans who have entered while preserving some "corporate" structure. Examples of this include, the Anglican diocese of Amritsar in India, and some individual parishes in the United States which maintained an Anglican identity when entering the Catholic Church under a "pastoral provision" adopted by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and approved by Pope John Paul II in 1982. In these cases, the Catholic Church has frequently dispensed from the requirement of celibacy to allow those married Anglican clergy who desire to continue ministerial service as Catholic priests to be ordained in the Catholic Church.
In the light of these developments, the Personal Ordinariates established by the Apostolic Constitution can be seen as another step toward the realization the aspiration for full, visible union in the Church of Christ, one of the principal goals of the ecumenical movement.
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