CDF Prefect Cardinal William Levada has moved to quash speculation that the forthcoming apostolic constitution for converting Anglican communities has been delayed over Vatican disagreements on celibacy for converting priests. “There has been widespread speculation, based on supposedly knowledgeable remarks by an Italian correspondent Andrea Tornielli that the delay in publication of the Apostolic Constitution regarding Personal Ordinariates for Anglicans entering into full communion with the Catholic Church … is due to more than ‘technical’ reasons,” the Holy See Press Office statement begins.
“According to this speculation, there is a serious substantial issue at the basis of the delay, namely, disagreement about whether celibacy will be the norm for the future clergy of the Provision.
“There is no substance to such speculation. No one at the Vatican has mentioned any such issue to me. The delay is purely technical in the sense of ensuring consistency in canonical language and references. The translation issues are secondary; the decision not to delay publication in order to wait for the ‘official’ Latin text to be published in Acta Apostolicae Sedis was made some time ago.
“The drafts prepared by the working group, and submitted for study and approval through the usual process followed by the Congregation, have all included the following statement [that] ‘the Ordinary, in full observance of the discipline of celibate clergy in the Latin Church, as a rule (pro regula) will admit only celibate men to the order of presbyter’.
“This article is to be understood as consistent with the current practice of the Church, in which married former Anglican ministers may be admitted to priestly ministry in the Catholic Church on a case by case basis.
“With regard to future seminarians, it was considered purely speculative whether there might be some cases in which a dispensation from the celibacy rule might be petitioned. For this reason, objective criteria about any such possibilities (e.g. married seminarians already in preparation) are to be developed jointly by the Personal Ordinariate and the Episcopal Conference, and submitted for approval of the Holy See,” Cardinal Levada said.
Cardinal Levada said he anticipates the technical work on the Constitution and Norms will be completed by the end of the first week of November,” the statement concludes.
Meanwhile, Pope Benedict has announced that he will meet the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams this month, to ease controversy over the moves.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Disclaimer
No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to us 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 we agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.
SIC: CTHUS