Up
to 50 Anglican clergy, some of whom oppose women bishops, could convert
to Catholicism by Easter under a new scheme approved by the Pope.
The
first of the converts, including three former Anglican bishops, two of
their wives, and three former Anglican nuns, were applauded after they
received holy communion before a packed congregation at Westminster
Cathedral at New Years Day mass.
Opposition to women bishops
was one of the reasons for their resignations from the Church of
England, which became effective from Friday, Catholic Bishop Alan Hopes
said.
More importantly, he added, 'most of them have been journeying,
seeking the fullness of truth, and they found it in the Catholic
Church.'
One of the nuns, Sister Wendy Renata, said she felt 'fantastic' after formally being welcomed by the Catholic Church.
'I've wanted to do it for years. I've finally done it,' she said.
A
year earlier, the Vatican published it's 'apostolic constitution
Anglicanorum coetibus', allowing Anglican clergy to enter into full
communion with the Catholic Church while maintaining aspects of their
spiritual heritage.
Andrew Burnham, former bishop of Ebbsfleet,
Keith Newton, former bishop of Richborough, and John Broadhurst, former
bishop of Fulham, were among the former Anglican bishops who formed the
new ordinariate at today's service.
It was not the first time
Anglican clergy had received holy communion in the Catholic Church, but
the occasion was unusual because all three bishops officially resigned
from their duties with the Anglican Church yesterday.
'They
were all what were know as flying bishops, administering to
congregations who didn't want to have women on their staff,' a spokesman
for the Catholic Church said.
While Catholic priests are not permitted to marry, Bishop Hopes said
there were a small number of former Anglican bishops with wives, who
joined the Catholic clergy post the mid-90s.
'They were given disciplinary sanction from clerical celibacy in order to be ordained as a Catholic priest,' he said.
It is expected the former Anglican bishops will be ordained to the Catholic diaconate and priesthood before Lent.
By that stage, they could be joined by up to 50 others, Bishop Hopes said.
The
Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, has in the past expressed
concern the situation could leave some parishes without priests, as
disaffected Anglicans switch to Rome.
Commenting on how the
Anglican Archbishop might feel about the arrangement, Bishop Hopes said
he understood he would be feeling unhappy.
'But I know too that he understands that we are all on a journey of faith, and sometimes our paths take standard routes.
'And if you truly believe that you have found fullness of truth in the Catholic Church, there is nothing you can do about it.
'You have to become a Catholic.'
A former Anglican convert himself, Bishop Hopes was received into the Catholic Church in 1994.
SIC: DM/UK