Vatican Welcomes Anglicans into the Church

The Vatican has announced the upcoming publication of an Apostolic Constitution which creates a structure under which former Anglicans could enter into full communion with the Catholic Church. It creates a canonical model to retain the “distinctive Anglican spiritual and liturgical patrimony,” for groups and individuals who desire “full and visible unity with the Bishop of Rome, successor of St. Peter.” It also provides for the ordination of both unmarried and married former Anglican priests.

“Pastoral oversight and guidance will be provided for groups of former Anglicans through a Personal Ordinariate, whose Ordinary will usually be appointed from among former Anglican clergy,” explains the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. The Ordinary, a term usually applied to diocesan bishops, would be a shepherd for former Anglicans, regardless of geographic diocesan boundaries. This provision means former Anglicans entering the Catholic Church will be led by a priest or bishop who understands the uniqueness and importance of the Anglican spiritual tradition.

The announcement, writes the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, is a response to “the many requests that have been submitted to the Holy See from groups of Anglican clergy and faithful in different parts of the world who wish to enter into full visible communion.”
While ecumenical dialogue has been strong between Catholics and Anglicans since the second Vatican Council, some Anglican groups have strayed from traditional Christian beliefs by ordaining women as priests and bishops and by blessing homosexual partnerships.

This has prompted many Anglicans, who disagree with these changes in doctrine, to seek full communion with the Catholic Church. The statement mentions groups of Anglicans, such as “the Anglican diocese of Amritsar in India, and some individual parishes in the United States,” who have already made this decision to become Catholic.

Catholic Archbishop Vincent Nichols and Anglican Archbishop Rowan Williams said in a joint statement that “The Apostolic Constitution is further recognition of the substantial overlap in faith, doctrine and spirituality between the Catholic Church and the Anglican tradition … [T]his Apostolic Constitution is one consequence of ecumenical dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion.” They also affirmed that “The on-going official dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion provides the basis for our continuing cooperation.”

Anglican Archbishop John Hepworth, representative of the Traditional Anglican Communion, said in a statement that “We are profoundly moved by the generosity of the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI…this is an act of great goodness on the part of the Holy Father. He has dedicated his pontificate to the cause of unity. It more than matches the dreams we dared to include in our petition of two years ago. It more than matches our prayers. In those two years, we have become very conscious of the prayers of our friends in the Catholic Church. Perhaps their prayers dared to ask even more than ours.”

Anglican Archbishop Robert Duncan of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh said in a statement that “While we believe that this provision will not be utilized by the great majority of the Anglican Church in North America’s bishops, priests, dioceses and congregations, we will surely bless those who are drawn to participate in this momentous offer.”

Fr. John Zuhlsdorf, a prominent Catholic blogger, writes that “The doors to the Church are always open to those wishing to enter. Now there is not only a door open to Anglicans, but also a house full of furniture.”

Zuhlsdorf, who refers to Benedict XVI as the “Pope of Christian Unity,” also believes this document is an important step in reuniting other separated groups, particularly the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX). The SSPX, a group of traditional Catholics who disagreed with changes in the Church after the second Vatican Council, recently made headlines when Pope Benedict XVI remitted the excommunications of the four SSPX bishops who were illegitimately consecrated. The Holy See has expressed its desire that the group be fully reunited with the Catholic Church. This document could provide a framework for that unification.

The forthcoming Apostolic Constitution is an important part of the ecumenical movement, and reminds the Church that the movement’s end is not just dialogue and understanding, but full visible unity of Christ’s Church.

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