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Wednesday 4th
November 2009
Following the offer of Pope
Benedict XV1 to the Anglian Church for full communion at
first glance one can only be delighted by this development.
Some Bishops have been very moved by this gesture and it
looks like 400,000 people will move over.
From the perspective of an
ordinary clergyman in the middle of Norfolk, I have seen the
relationships between the Anglican and Roman Catholic
Churches grow other the years and locally I have always had
a very good relationships with the RC Parish Priest. Father
Tony, the present priest, is a delight and often comes
around to see us at the Rectory. Recently we have a joint
Harvest Supper and a service for One World Week.
However, the offer to join an
‘ordinariate’ that will bring Anglicans into full communion
with Rome leaves me questioning the motives of this
decision. A decision which has not be discussed with the
Anglican Church. I feel sad for our Archbishop who is a very
trusting man and has been let down.
It seems extraordinary that a
church which neither allows married clergy, and therefore
divorced clergy into its ranks is now welcoming the Anglican
Church priests and its members regardless of their
situation. Also I can not believe that priests who took
canonical oaths at Ordination after rigorous training in
doctrine, could possibly accept without question
transubstantiation, the immaculate conception, the
Assumption of the Virgin Mary, papal authority as well as a
whole series of beliefs not accepted by the C of E including
the banning of condoms which has caused so many deaths in
the Third World. It was amazing when women were ordained
priest that clergy moved over to Rome with wives and
children and a lump some from the Church Commissioners, into
a church which requires celibacy of its priests and bans
contraception. The only proviso was that they could not be
Bishop unless their wife died. Their own priests looked on
with amazement.
I hope that those priests who
moved and will move over, remember that they were trained by
C of E at great cost, and provided with excellent houses, a
good salary/pension and support and come a democratic
church. Those wishing to take their church buildings as well
as their congregations with them should think again.
Personally I don’t mind if they take with them the very poor
church buildings which we inherited at the Reformation and
not as they are today in the excellent condition.
I will remain an Anglican until
I die but I hope to remain on excellent friendship with my
RC friends and priests. Many of them are so embarrassed by
this recent decision from Rome which as usual was just a
decision without discussion.
As soon as we have women Bishops
the better, and I do believe that the Pope’s decision will
bring this sooner than later.
Adrian Bell Rector of
Fakenham |
