Spring Break
Vatican opens doors for Anglicans against gay, women clergy
Francis X. Rocca/Religion News Service
Issue date: 11/1/09 Section: Divine Intervention
VATICAN CITY - In a move with far-reaching ecumenical implications, the Vatican, last week, announced plans to open its doors to Anglicans upset with their church's growing acceptance of homosexuality and women clergy.
Citing "many requests" from Anglicans around the world, the Vatican said that Pope Benedict XVI would permit the establishment of new national dioceses in which former Anglicans can join the Catholic Church while retaining many of their traditional forms of worship.
The move represents a major shift in Catholic-Anglican relations after more than four decades of ecumenical dialogue aimed at restoring "full and visible unity" between the two churches, separated since the 16th century.
But Cardinal William Levada, a former archbishop of San Francisco who now heads the Vatican's doctrinal office, said the prospect of unity had "seemed to recede" in recent years. Efforts by some Anglicans to "accommodate current cultural values" by ordaining women and "practicing homosexuals" as priests and bishops are "not consonant with Apostolic Tradition," he said.
The 77-million member Anglican Communion has been deeply divided by a growing acceptance of homosexuality in its North American branches - including the consecration of a gay bishop in New Hampshire and the blessing of same-sex unions in some dioceses. Meanwhile, more than 1,300 Anglican priests have threatened to leave the Church of England - the mother church of the worldwide communion - if it begins to ordain women bishops.
Catholic and Anglican leaders insisted that the Vatican's move would not harm relations between the churches.
"We are determined that our ongoing mutual commitment and consultation on these and other matters should continue to be strengthened," said Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, spiritual leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion, in a joint statement with Archbishop Vincent G. Nichols of Westminster, the leader of Catholics in England and Wales.
Citing "many requests" from Anglicans around the world, the Vatican said that Pope Benedict XVI would permit the establishment of new national dioceses in which former Anglicans can join the Catholic Church while retaining many of their traditional forms of worship.
The move represents a major shift in Catholic-Anglican relations after more than four decades of ecumenical dialogue aimed at restoring "full and visible unity" between the two churches, separated since the 16th century.
But Cardinal William Levada, a former archbishop of San Francisco who now heads the Vatican's doctrinal office, said the prospect of unity had "seemed to recede" in recent years. Efforts by some Anglicans to "accommodate current cultural values" by ordaining women and "practicing homosexuals" as priests and bishops are "not consonant with Apostolic Tradition," he said.
The 77-million member Anglican Communion has been deeply divided by a growing acceptance of homosexuality in its North American branches - including the consecration of a gay bishop in New Hampshire and the blessing of same-sex unions in some dioceses. Meanwhile, more than 1,300 Anglican priests have threatened to leave the Church of England - the mother church of the worldwide communion - if it begins to ordain women bishops.
Catholic and Anglican leaders insisted that the Vatican's move would not harm relations between the churches.
"We are determined that our ongoing mutual commitment and consultation on these and other matters should continue to be strengthened," said Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, spiritual leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion, in a joint statement with Archbishop Vincent G. Nichols of Westminster, the leader of Catholics in England and Wales.
Be the first to comment on this story