Many
Anglicans world-wide, and Episcopalians in the United States have
questioned the rationale and legitimacy of the decisions by those in
power to allow women priests, homosexual civil
unions/marriage, homosexual clergy, and the overall embrace of militant
liberalism and secularism.
More than a few of the Anglican Communion's clergy and laity have
taken advantage of Pope Benedict XVI invitation for Christian unity
under the auspices of the Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum Coetibus.
Under the provisions of the Anglican Ordinariate, the
Anglicans/Episcopalians will retain their bishops, priests, Book of
Common Prayer, as well as their liturgy.
The traditional Anglican liturgy is very similar to the Catholic
Tridentine Latin Mass, except that it has a mix of Latin and Elizabethan
English.
Nationally...
This past weekend, disaffected Anglicans and Episcopalians joined
with Catholic clergy and laity from across the nation to gather at St.
Therese Little Flower Catholic Church in Kansas City for a conference on
Anglicanorum Coetibus, entitled “Becoming One.”
The gathering was hosted by Fr. Ernie Davis and the
Our Lady of Hope Society, the Pastoral Provision priest and community of
former Anglicans who celebrate the Anglican Use Mass every week at St.
Therese Little Flower.
Like the many similar gatherings in recent and future
months, the meeting was intended to begin to forge unity among the
scattered Anglicans, Episcopalians, and Catholics destined for unity in
the future U.S. Ordinariate.
Featured speakers at the conference included Fr.
Christopher Phillips of Our Lady of the Atonement in San Antonio, and
Bishop David Moyer, Bishop in the American branch of the Traditional
Anglican Communion and rector of Good Shepherd Church, Rosemont, PA.
In North Carolina...
Anglican priest, Fr. William Waun of Our Lady of Good Counsel parish in Jacksonville, NC (contact info here)
is the only Anglican or Episcopalian cleric in the Carolinas to take
advantage of Pope Benedict's invitation for Christian unity under the
Personal Ordinariate for Anglicans.
As cited on The Anglo-Catholic's map
of Feb, 12, 2011, there are almost 100 Anglican Communion parishes in
the United States, Canada and Great Britain alone that have indicated a
true desire to enter into full communion with Catholicism.
Those numbers do not take into account the 400,000
members of the Traditional Anglican Communion centered in Australia who
are already well on their way to full communion.
Lutherans Next?
According to reports on Catholic Online, the 11,000 member Anglo-Lutheran Catholic Church seek to enter into full communion with Rome, also under the auspices of Anglicanorum Coetibus.