Comments on: CDF on Anglicans Entering the Catholic Church http://www.diaconate.org.uk/2009/10/cdf-on-anglicans-entering-the-catholic-church/ Permanent Deacons in the UK Mon, 29 Mar 2010 19:42:19 +0100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Mike Farren http://www.diaconate.org.uk/2009/10/cdf-on-anglicans-entering-the-catholic-church/comment-page-1/#comment-246 Mike Farren Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:44:39 +0000 http://www.diaconate.org.uk/?p=802#comment-246 Many of our Anglican brothers and sisters now have the opportunity to come into full communion with the Catholic Church. Which at first glance would appear to be a good thing. However, there are a couple of points that do not seem to be clear from the document, namely: A unity which allows an Anglican form of worship and the retention of some of the rites and prayers, would seem to me to be a church within a church - where ex Anglican clergy are responsible to ex Anglican bishops...A house divided perhaps? Secondly, and this where I may hear some shouting - but - Whilst we are short of priests, I cannot help feeling this is a knee jerk reaction from the Vatican to try and reverse this by ordaining ex vicars into Priests. Are they if ordained only to serve their own people in the old Anglican rite? Now before I am accused of prejudice, I have met some very good Priests who were once vicars - but I have also met those who, although ordained into the Catholic Priesthood are for all intents and purposes still Anglican vicars; they have simply switched churches and if the women clergy problem were addressed they would be gone tomorrow. Although this conversation is healthy I feel we have been given something that has been done and dusted! Many of our Anglican brothers and sisters now have the opportunity to come into full communion with the Catholic Church. Which at first glance would appear to be a good thing.
However, there are a couple of points that do not seem to be clear from the document, namely:
A unity which allows an Anglican form of worship and the retention of some of the rites and prayers, would seem to me to be a church within a church – where ex Anglican clergy are responsible to ex Anglican bishops…A house divided perhaps?
Secondly, and this where I may hear some shouting – but – Whilst we are short of priests, I cannot help feeling this is a knee jerk reaction from the Vatican to try and reverse this by ordaining ex vicars into Priests. Are they if ordained only to serve their own people in the old Anglican rite?
Now before I am accused of prejudice, I have met some very good Priests who were once vicars – but I have also met those who, although ordained into the Catholic Priesthood are for all intents and purposes still Anglican vicars; they have simply switched churches and if the women clergy problem were addressed they would be gone tomorrow.

Although this conversation is healthy I feel we have been given something that has been done and dusted!

]]> By: Peter Rennie http://www.diaconate.org.uk/2009/10/cdf-on-anglicans-entering-the-catholic-church/comment-page-1/#comment-242 Peter Rennie Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:28:22 +0000 http://www.diaconate.org.uk/?p=802#comment-242 This is a delicate issue and would have been difficult or impossible to do in consultation with the leadership of the Anglican Communion. While they may not have had much official notice of the announcement, it has been widely anticipated since the Lambeth Conference of last year. It has some interesting implications; possible enrichment of the liturgy from some of the ancient English catholic rites preserved in the Church of England, and what of the formation of married men as priests in the Anglo-Catholic part of the church. Does this have an eventual implicaiton for the Roman Rite? What of ecumenism? Realistically, we have long ago abandoned the hope of true corporate union with the Church of England and have instead concentrated on sharing the common aspects of our faith in the ways that remain available. This is a delicate issue and would have been difficult or impossible to do in consultation with the leadership of the Anglican Communion. While they may not have had much official notice of the announcement, it has been widely anticipated since the Lambeth Conference of last year.

It has some interesting implications; possible enrichment of the liturgy from some of the ancient English catholic rites preserved in the Church of England, and what of the formation of married men as priests in the Anglo-Catholic part of the church. Does this have an eventual implicaiton for the Roman Rite?

What of ecumenism? Realistically, we have long ago abandoned the hope of true corporate union with the Church of England and have instead concentrated on sharing the common aspects of our faith in the ways that remain available.

]]> By: Alfred Banya http://www.diaconate.org.uk/2009/10/cdf-on-anglicans-entering-the-catholic-church/comment-page-1/#comment-240 Alfred Banya Sat, 24 Oct 2009 19:14:32 +0000 http://www.diaconate.org.uk/?p=802#comment-240 I think this is a good move that will give opportunity for our Anglican brothers and sisters who would like to be in communion with the Catholic Church to do so. I am however disturbed by recent negative media coverage alleging the announcement was done without consultation with the leadership of the Anglican Church. I don't knoww to what extent this is true, and what implications it has for the future of ecumenism. Any thoughts? I think this is a good move that will give opportunity for our Anglican brothers and sisters who would like to be in communion with the Catholic Church to do so. I am however disturbed by recent negative media coverage alleging the announcement was done without consultation with the leadership of the Anglican Church. I don’t knoww to what extent this is true, and what implications it has for the future of ecumenism. Any thoughts?

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