The Archbishop of Canterbury has warned the future of the Anglican church is "chaotic and uncertain" as dozens more married priests consider defecting to the Roman Catholic church. In a sermon which was released yesterday, Dr Rowan Williams said: “God knows what the future holds.”
While he made no reference to the decision of the Vatican to make it easier for married Anglican clergy to train for the priesthood it was clear who his remarks were directed at.
He delivered the sermon at All Saints, Margaret Street at a service to mark the 150th anniversary of the London church’s consecration. All Saints is a prominent centre of Catholic Anglican worship in Britain.
The Archbishop, in an attempt to reach out to Anglican priests who were unsure whether to switch, said it was still possible “to lead lives of Catholic holiness even in the communion of the See of Canterbury”.
His inrtervention follows the gathering last month of 500 Anglican clergy, who oppose the consecration of women bishops, to discuss whether to abandon the Church of England for the Roman Catholic church.
The members of Forward in Faith, the leading traditionalist grouping, have given a positive response to Pope Benedict XVI’s offer of an Anglican “ordinariate” or diocese.
The archbishop, in his sermon, said: “God knows what the future holds for any of us for any of our ecclesiastical institutions but we can at least begin with what we can be sure of: that God has graced us with the lives of saints; that God has been credible in this fellowship with these people.
“This church, with its very particular place in the history of the Church of England, is one small but significant facet of that great mystery and that great gift. And, at times when the future seems more than usually chaotic and uncertain, it doesn’t hurt simply to give thanks.”
This week the Vatican published the new papal decree setting out the terms for the new diocese which would allow Anglicans to move over but to retain crucial aspects of their own liturgy.
The Archbishop is due to go to Rome next week for an audience with the Pope.
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