Anglican prayers are to be heard in Roman Catholic churches for the
first time as part of an offer by the Pope to attract disenchanted
Church of England followers.
Catholic leaders today said that
breakaway Anglican priests and congregations will be allowed to use
their own prayers, hymns and services when they switch loyalty to Rome.
And they will be invited to do so in Roman Catholic
churches which will provide a place to worship for the Church of England
congregations the Vatican hopes will go over.
The decision means that the venerated English of the 16th century
Book of Common Prayer, first written over 450 years ago as part of the
protestant rebellion against Rome, will be read in Catholic churches.
The Prayer Book - largely rejected by many CofE churches - is highly
regarded by many of the conservative Anglicans likely to move to Rome.
It
will also allow married CofE clergy to become Roman Catholic priests
and bring a version of Anglican democracy to the Catholic church, which
has always prided itself on its discipline and loyalty to the Pope.
The
new rules were confirmed yesterday in a statement on the Ordinariate,
the new organisation being set up by the Vatican to accommodate
Anglicans dissaffected by the CofE's move to appoint women bishops.
The
Pope's offer to Anglicans to come over to Rome in whole congregations,
bringing their own traditions with them, has been regarded by critics as
an aggressive raid on the CofE.
Last month the Wikileaks scandal disclosed that Britain's ambassador
to the Vatican considered that the offer had put the Archbishop of
Canterbury in an impossible position and that it risked discrimination
and even violence against Catholics because of 'latent' anti-Catholic
prejudice.
The formal establishment of the Ordinariate - so-called
because it will be headed by an 'ordinary' to be appointed by the Pope -
is expected from the Vatican by the weekend.
On Saturday
three Anglican bishops - former CofE Bishop of Fulham the Right Reverend
John Broadhurst and the two CofE 'flying bishops - are to be ordained
into the Catholic Church.
The flying bishops, the Right Reverend Andrew Burnham
and the Right Reverend Keith Newton, have ministered to traditionalists
who will not accept the CofE's women priests, and will effectively be
redundant when the consecration of women bishops, expected in 2015, goes
ahead.
A statement by Archbishop Vincent Nichols, leader of
Catholics in England and Wales, paid tribute to Archbishop of Canterbury
Dr Rowan Wiliams for his patience over the breakaway.
'We are grateful for the sensitive leadership of the Archbishop of Canterbury,' Archbishop Nichols said.
'He
graciously acknowledges the integrity of those seeking to join the
Ordinariate and has assured them of his prayers. This is the noble
spirit of true ecumenism.'
Roman Catholic officials said the new
congregations would use Catholic churches because they will be unable to
use Catholic rites in their existing Anglican churches.
The
Book of Common Prayer and other Anglican prayers will be re-written to
remove clashes with Catholic doctrine and approved by the Vatican for
use by the new Catholic congregations.
So far only two retired
Anglican bishops and around 500 worshippers have agreed to join the
three bishops to be ordained at the weekend in the Ordinariate.
CofE
clergy who go to Rome risk losing their salaries and pensions, while
congregations will give up wealth and property accumulated by their
Anglican parishes.
SIC: DM/UK