THERE has been a remarkable surge of publicity concerning the statement released by the Primate of the Traditional Anglican Communion concerning the letter delivered to the Holy See seeking “full corporate sacramental union”.
The Church of Ireland (Traditional Rite) wishes to make clear that its Vicar-General was unable to attend the plenary meeting of the TAC bishops, and so did not have the opportunity to sign the letter.
It also wishes to make clear that, unlike most of the national synods of the Traditional Anglican Communion, it has not yet voted to endorse the actions of the bishops in relation to unity with the Holy See.
It is correct in reporting that all the Bishops and Vicars General of the Traditional Anglican Communion (TAC) attending their recent College of Bishops meeting in Portsmouth England, delivered a letter to the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith. In it, they seek “a communal and ecclesial way of being Anglican Catholics in communion with the Holy See”.
The Church of Ireland (Traditional Rite) is sympathetic to a genuine initiative of this kind to resolve the issues that are the cause of division within the body of the Holy Catholic Church.
The Church of Ireland (Traditional Rite) also notes that the decision to write was a collegial act of the bishops and vicars- general of the Traditional Anglican Communion.
In the past five years, most of the synods of these bishops and vicars-general have confirmed the proposal.
The Church of Ireland (Traditional Rite) is among the few that have not thus far had this opportunity.
We also note that the letter to the Holy See records a process that began in the time of Pope John XIII and anticipates the continuation of that process, with the full involvement of local TAC synods.
Where there is commonality of belief, and where the Roman Catholic Church is currently confronting evils perpetrated by changes in moral values to conform with what may be called the religion of ‘Western Enlightened Humanism,’ the Church of Ireland (Traditional Rite) will make common cause with the Church of Rome.
The Church of Ireland (Traditional Rite) wishes to place on record that its unwillingness to sign the documents in question has been met with great understanding and respect by the College of Bishops of the TAC for which it is grateful, and with whom we continue to enjoy cordial relations.
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Disclaimer
No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.
The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.
Sotto Voce