Archbishop John Hepworth, the Primate of the Australian-based
Traditional Anglican Communion (TAC), and its American branch -- the
Anglican Church in America (ACA) -- has announced that six ACA bishops
are strongly considering joining the Anglican Ordinariate once it
becomes established on this side of the Atlantic.
"We have six bishops and 61 ACA priests who have put in dossiers applying to be clergy of the Ordinariate, and 29 parishes have voted and indicated to Cardinal Donald Wuerl that they have voted from the ACA into the Ordinariate," said Hepworth.
The ACA House of Bishops has a census of 10 including Bishop Juan Garcia of Puerto Rico. Earlier this month three ACA bishops communicated to VOL that they are unwilling to be a part of the developing Ordinariate.
"We have six bishops and 61 ACA priests who have put in dossiers applying to be clergy of the Ordinariate, and 29 parishes have voted and indicated to Cardinal Donald Wuerl that they have voted from the ACA into the Ordinariate," said Hepworth.
The ACA House of Bishops has a census of 10 including Bishop Juan Garcia of Puerto Rico. Earlier this month three ACA bishops communicated to VOL that they are unwilling to be a part of the developing Ordinariate.
They include: Bishop Brian
Marsh, Diocese of the Northeast; Bishop Stephen Strawn, Diocese of the
Missouri Valley; and Bishop Daren Williams, Diocese of the West.
"We are not going to Rome. We have chosen to stay together, to remain with the ACA," the three bishops emphatically stated in a VOL Exclusive. "With regard to the dioceses of the Northeast, Missouri Valley and West, we should advise you that these dioceses will remain with the Anglican Church in America."
The six US bishops are: Louis Falk, the President of the ACA House of Bishops and the retired bishop of the Diocese of the Missouri Valley, and the first Primate of the Traditional Anglican Communion; David Moyer, the Bishop-in-Charge of the Patrimony of the Primate and Bishop of the Armed Forces; Louis Campese, the Bishop of the Pro-diocese of the Holy Family and the resigned bishop of the Diocese of the Eastern United States; George Langberg, retired Bishop of the Diocese of the Northeast; Welborne Hudson, retired Bishop of the Armed Forces; and James Stewart, retired Bishop of the West.
Archbishop Hepworth also noted in a recent e-mail to VOL that ACA Bishop Juan Garcia, Bishop of Puerto Rico, is also interested in the Ordinariate.
"We are not going to Rome. We have chosen to stay together, to remain with the ACA," the three bishops emphatically stated in a VOL Exclusive. "With regard to the dioceses of the Northeast, Missouri Valley and West, we should advise you that these dioceses will remain with the Anglican Church in America."
The six US bishops are: Louis Falk, the President of the ACA House of Bishops and the retired bishop of the Diocese of the Missouri Valley, and the first Primate of the Traditional Anglican Communion; David Moyer, the Bishop-in-Charge of the Patrimony of the Primate and Bishop of the Armed Forces; Louis Campese, the Bishop of the Pro-diocese of the Holy Family and the resigned bishop of the Diocese of the Eastern United States; George Langberg, retired Bishop of the Diocese of the Northeast; Welborne Hudson, retired Bishop of the Armed Forces; and James Stewart, retired Bishop of the West.
Archbishop Hepworth also noted in a recent e-mail to VOL that ACA Bishop Juan Garcia, Bishop of Puerto Rico, is also interested in the Ordinariate.
But since, unlike The Episcopal Church, the United States Conference of
Catholic Bishops does not extend past US borders, the Puerto Rican
bishop will have to become a part of a Caribbean Ordinariate when and if
it is established.
Father Scott Hurd, Cardinal Wuerl's liaison to the Catholic Conference of Bishops ad hoc committee for the Ordinariate told VOL, from his office in Washington, DC, that the current status of the American Ordinariate is that the ball is now back in the Vatican's court.
"It's public knowledge that we have concluded the information gathering stage," Fr. Hurd noted.
Father Scott Hurd, Cardinal Wuerl's liaison to the Catholic Conference of Bishops ad hoc committee for the Ordinariate told VOL, from his office in Washington, DC, that the current status of the American Ordinariate is that the ball is now back in the Vatican's court.
"It's public knowledge that we have concluded the information gathering stage," Fr. Hurd noted.
"That
information has been communicated to the CFD (Congregation for the
Doctrine of the Faith) in Rome. They are the decision making agency. So
in a sense the ball is in the CDF's court."
It is now up to Cardinal William Levada to decide the next step in the erection of an American Ordinariate.
"It is the CDF's decision. I think conditions are very favorable for the establishment of an Ordinariate in the United States," Fr. Hurd noted. "Things in England have been happening with great rapidity. One can hope that things will be processed quickly for the United States as well."
Archbishop Hepworth willingly acknowledges that there will be an ACA remnant remaining once the Ordinariate is established.
"I think enviably there will be an ACA which remains," the Archbishop said, although he doesn't know what shape the American church or the TAC will take in post-Ordinariate Anglicanism.
It is now up to Cardinal William Levada to decide the next step in the erection of an American Ordinariate.
"It is the CDF's decision. I think conditions are very favorable for the establishment of an Ordinariate in the United States," Fr. Hurd noted. "Things in England have been happening with great rapidity. One can hope that things will be processed quickly for the United States as well."
Archbishop Hepworth willingly acknowledges that there will be an ACA remnant remaining once the Ordinariate is established.
"I think enviably there will be an ACA which remains," the Archbishop said, although he doesn't know what shape the American church or the TAC will take in post-Ordinariate Anglicanism.