Speculating about the future of Anglicanism, a Catholic Church
observer in England says that Anglo-Catholics have recognized their
battle is “lost.”
However, Pope Benedict’s appreciation of their
tradition and his establishment of a special church structure for them
will help restore their patrimony to the Catholic Church.
Pope Benedict XVI, acting through the Apostolic Constitution
“Anglicanorum Coetibus,” established the Anglican Ordinariate in October
2009 to help Anglicans who wish to become Catholic while preserving
many of their unique traditions.
The Daily Telegraph has reported that senior Catholic Church figures
in England expect the new jurisdiction to accommodate “thousands” of
converts.
The Anglican church of St. Peter in Folkestone has declared
its intention to become Catholic, as has the Anglican Bishop of Fulham
John Broadhurst, chairman of the Anglican group Forward in Faith.
Strife in the Anglican Communion has resulted from differences on
theological and moral matters such as the ordination of women bishops
and sexual ethics.
Damian Thompson, a Catholic commentator for the Telegraph, remarked
that Bishop Broadhurst thought the Anglican tradition called
Anglo-Catholicism was worth fighting for.
“Now he knows that the battle is lost,” he claimed.
Thompson voiced his suspicion that the future of the Anglican
Ordinariate is not with prelates such as Broadhurst but rather with
younger Anglo-Catholic clergy and “thousands of committed lay people”
who are already used to worshiping at a church that suits and not at
their local parish.
“The important thing is that they believe that the intellectual case
for traditional Anglo-Catholicism is no longer tenable. The High Church
wing of the (Church of England) has moved in a liberal protestant
direction: it has reached an accommodation with women priests and will
do so with women bishops, too.”
By contrast, Thompson continued, the election of Pope Benedict XVI
and his visit to England has helped “tip the balance.”
The Pontiff
appreciates the achievements of Anglo-Catholicism and believes that the
best Anglo-Catholic worship retains elements of Catholic patrimony that
will be “restored” to the Western Church.
Thompson wrote that he cannot foresee the Church of England allowing
more than a few church buildings to leave, but large Anglo-Catholic
congregations are likely to split over the possibility of entering into
communion with Rome.
While Anglican converts will face obstacles from “philistine RC
liberals,” he cited a Catholic priest who said these Anglicans should
consider who they have on their side:
“The Pope. Blessed John Henry Newman. And the Holy Spirit.”
Thompson said he was “more and more convinced” that the Apostolic
Constitution will bear fruit in “new, evangelistic parish communities”
that will challenge “sluggish mediocrity” among some Catholics.
“No wonder so many younger, orthodox, cradle Catholics are excited by the Ordinariate mission,” he concluded.
SIC: CNA/UK