Sunday, January 02, 2011

Fifty Anglican priests set to convert to Catholicism under Pope backed scheme

Up to 50 Anglican clergy, some of whom oppose women bishops, could convert to Catholicism by Easter under a new scheme approved by the Pope.

The first of the converts, including three former Anglican bishops, two of their wives, and three former Anglican nuns, were applauded after they received holy communion before a packed congregation at Westminster Cathedral at New Years Day mass.

Opposition to women bishops was one of the reasons for their resignations from the Church of England, which became effective from Friday, Catholic Bishop Alan Hopes said.

More importantly, he added, 'most of them have been journeying, seeking the fullness of truth, and they found it in the Catholic Church.'

One of the nuns, Sister Wendy Renata, said she felt 'fantastic' after formally being welcomed by the Catholic Church.

'I've wanted to do it for years. I've finally done it,' she said.

A year earlier, the Vatican published it's 'apostolic constitution Anglicanorum coetibus', allowing Anglican clergy to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church while maintaining aspects of their spiritual heritage.

Andrew Burnham, former bishop of Ebbsfleet, Keith Newton, former bishop of Richborough, and John Broadhurst, former bishop of Fulham, were among the former Anglican bishops who formed the new ordinariate at today's service.

It was not the first time Anglican clergy had received holy communion in the Catholic Church, but the occasion was unusual because all three bishops officially resigned from their duties with the Anglican Church yesterday.

'They were all what were know as flying bishops, administering to congregations who didn't want to have women on their staff,' a spokesman for the Catholic Church said.
While Catholic priests are not permitted to marry, Bishop Hopes said there were a small number of former Anglican bishops with wives, who joined the Catholic clergy post the mid-90s.

'They were given disciplinary sanction from clerical celibacy in order to be ordained as a Catholic priest,' he said.

It is expected the former Anglican bishops will be ordained to the Catholic diaconate and priesthood before Lent.

By that stage, they could be joined by up to 50 others, Bishop Hopes said.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, has in the past expressed concern the situation could leave some parishes without priests, as disaffected Anglicans switch to Rome.

Commenting on how the Anglican Archbishop might feel about the arrangement, Bishop Hopes said he understood he would be feeling unhappy.

'But I know too that he understands that we are all on a journey of faith, and sometimes our paths take standard routes.

'And if you truly believe that you have found fullness of truth in the Catholic Church, there is nothing you can do about it.

'You have to become a Catholic.'

A former Anglican convert himself, Bishop Hopes was received into the Catholic Church in 1994.

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