The Archbishop of Westminster has said that the Church of England will
move further away from "the Catholic tradition" if it decides to ordain
women bishops.The Church of England's General Synod is meeting to debate and vote on plans to ordain women bishops tomorrow.
Archbishop Vincent Nichols said the Catholic Church was following the process "with some concern."
Speaking at a press conference last Friday he said: "It will create an additional sense of an identity within the Church of England which is, as it were, less approximate with the Catholic tradition. The dialogue will continue but it is a very significant step that the Church of England now is about to take it would seem."
However he stressed that dialogue and co-operation between the two Churches would not "fundamentally alter" as a result of a vote in favour of women bishops as this is "based on a strong appreciation of our shared life in Christ through baptism and within the life of grace."