Special Report: Five Myths about the Pope�s Anglican Ordinariates

By Taylor Marshall
10/28/2009
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

As a former Anglican priest myself, I am profoundly grateful for our Holy Father�s generous proposal toward Anglicans, 'that they all might be one'

Taylor Marshall is a former Anglican priest and the author of 'The Crucified Rabbi: Judaism and the Origins of Catholic Christianity'.

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DALLAS, TX (Catholic Online) - On October 20, 2009, the Holy See made an unexpected announcement: the Holy Father will be issuing an Apostolic Constitution (the highest form of papal document) through which he will erect personal ordinariates for Anglican clergy and laity wishing to enter the Catholic Church. While rumors about this have been stirring since 2007, the recent decision came as a surprise to most Catholics and Anglicans.

Those who remember their high school history might recall that Pope Gregory the Great sent missionaries to England in the late sixth century to establish the Catholic Church in England. In A.D. 598, Pope Gregory the Great designated the township of Canterbury as the nation�s principal see. There were hiccups along the way (Norman conquest), but England remained under the pastoral oversight of the Pope until 1534 when King Henry VIII declared himself caput ecclesiae anglicanae �Head of the English Church.� Henry VIII never shook his devotion to the old rites. He demanded priestly celibacy, Latin Masses, and prayers for the dead. He did however have an appetite for the wealth of the monasteries. When Henry VIII died in 1547, he left his son Edward VI as king. As a Protestant, Edward approved a Protestantized English ritual which became known as the Book of Common Prayer in 1549.

The liturgies found in the Book of Common Prayer and subsequent editions reveal a careful blend of medieval Catholic piety mixed with subtle Protestantism. Henry�s daughter Queen Elizabeth fully realized this compromise between Catholicism and Protestantism�perhaps the cleverest grab for political power in history. As England colonized the world, she spread her national Anglican church. In America, she became the Episcopal Church. The new worldwide conglomerate of national churches became known as the Anglican Communion. Since those days, the Anglican Communion has been divided into roughly three camps: High Church (more Catholic), Low Church (more Protestant), and Broad Church (liberals who bless the political and cultural mores of society�something going all the way back to Henry�s desire for a second marriage, and then a third marriage, and then a fourth�you know the story).

In the last twenty years, the Broad Churchmen emerged as victors in the Anglican Communion as they secured the ordination of women in the 1980s and 1990s. The past decade has been embroiled in debates about homosexuality as it touches on marriage and clerical ordination. The disaffected conservatives (High Church and Low Church) are looking for options. Clearly, the High Church movement is open to the Catholic Church and many bishops, priests, and lay people have appealed to the Pope for help. The Pope has now provided an an answer: �Come home! Rome opens its doors to you!�

The New York Times, the London Times and almost every known newspaper has printed articles about this new announcement. The blogs are ablaze. However, there is a lot of misinformation churning around out there. I have collected five common misconceptions about the Holy See�s announcement. Each myth merits an informed and measured response.

Myth #1 The Pope is sheep-stealing

The Pope�s alleged �sheep-stealing� been the most popular subject within the secular media. To them, the Holy Father has launched a media campaign to kick the Anglican Communion while it�s down. The poor Archbishop of Canterbury is struggling to keep things together and then �Bamm!� the Pope surprises everyone with a bid for Anglican souls. However, we must remember that it was Anglicans who pursued the matter with the Holy Father�and we�re not talking about just one or two Anglicans. We are talking about thousands and thousands of Anglicans: bishops, priests, deacons, and laity. Anglican bishops from several nations have sent private letters to the Holy See. Much of this is confidential. They want a way out. They want to become Catholic. The Pope is responding to souls looking to him for guidance. The pope is not stealing sheep�He is holding out his pastoral staff to those sheep looking for protection.

Myth #2 Rome is preparing the world for a general married priesthood

The media also sunk its teeth into the fact that the new Anglican ordinariates would preserve the already recognized discipline of allowing married former-Anglican priests to be ordained as married Catholic priests. This is nothing new. Pope John Paul II approved this measure in 1980 as the �Pastoral Provision.� The new personal ordinariate structure does not change anything. In this regard, nothing is new. I have seen with my own eyes the CDF document from the mid-1980s penned by none other than Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger himself. The document clearly states that the Pastoral Provision is approved so long as it does not undermine the Roman discipline of clerical celibacy. Since the man who wrote that statement ...

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1 - 10 of 16 Comments

Jean
3 years ago
THANKS TERRY C. ALSO SUPPORT YOUR PRIESTS SINCE THIS IS YEAR OF THE PRIESTS.

SUPPORT THEM EVEN IF IT ISNT THE YEAR OF THE PRIESTS IN THEIR MINISTRY AND DISCIPLINE THEY SACRIFICED FOR THE KINGDOM.

ASK OUR BLESSED MOTHER TO ASK HER SON TO WATCH OVER THEM ALL UNTIL THE END OF TIME.

AMEN. PEACE.
TerryC
3 years ago
I am also not a canon lawyer but as a catechist will try to take a whack at the celibacy question. First celibacy is a discipline which is practiced by priests of the Roman Rite, of some of the priests of other rites and of bishops of all rites in the Catholic Church. Celibacy is not a dogma or a necessity for priesthood. It is a discipline.
As a discipline it has many benefits, both spiritual and practical. At its most basic level it does not require a defense. It is a practice of the Church with its origins firmly in the traditions of the Church.
Most Eastern rites, as well as the Orthodox Churches allow married men to be ordained to the priesthood. None allow married men to be raised to the episcopate. None allow unmarried ordained men to marry.
This is not about fairness. It does not have to be defended based upon secular perceptions of social justice. It is a discipline of the Church, and is firmly rooted in canon law as well as Tradition.
Stephanie
3 years ago
I can understand why the Pope appreciates the "music" the Anglican Church provides. And I believe the music is highly important part of celebration of the Mass. Most definitely I would love to see the "Hymns" which the Anglicans would bring along added to the Roman Catholic Church. But I leave the rest up to God and pray we don't get into a confusion with issues. Even though the Roman Catholic Church does not have women priests, I wonder what the Pope says the role will be of Anglican women Priests. I am Roman Catholic but I have read the book of common prayer and found the organization of the Psalms a very helpful way of reading through all of the Psalms within an entire month. I learned from only one Anglican Priest who has a deep understanding and appreciation of the Roman Catholic Church and gave me a book of prayers by St. Augustine. It is a treasure.
Theresa F.
3 years ago
I say, God bless the Pope for doing his job and gathering the sheep, but as it was pointed out, only when they approached him first. I think it is great! I believe this isn't the first time. I believe in the late '70's the pastor and a whole congregation all joined the church in S.C.
Robert Onyeneke
3 years ago
The issue of admitting Anglicans into the Catholic Church has become the headlines of many Newspapers in the World today.Catholic Priests are meant not to marry, so if Anglicans really accept their readmission in the Mother Church (Catholic Church), their priests should be among the laity in the Catholic Church. Their priests should not be allowed to celebrate the Mass. This is my sincere suggestion. Let the Holy Father consider this properly before indulging in it.
lori
3 years ago
I'm an anglican christian who wants to know how and when I can sign up asap! I have been overjoyed since this announcement and can't wait to pray the Holy Rosary in church and have my confession heard!
Andy Bowdler
3 years ago
As has been pointed out already, there is no such Anglican grouping as 'Broad Church' in the sense that Taylor Marshall suggests. The fact that the Anglican Church includes High, Evangelical and Liberal believers under its umbrella means that it is a Broad Church in and of itself (ie: all 3 elements are part of the Broad Churchmanship that is Anglican Christianity).
Tommy McGlothlin
3 years ago
For the record, your history of the Anglican Church is entirely wrong. Yes, Gregory sent Augustine to England, and was absolutely astonished to find the church there, where it had been since the Roman occupation. Secondly, it was Elizabeth that founded the Anglican Church with the Act of Uniformity, and it had nothing at all to do with her father's divorce. Finally, the Low and High Church camps of Anglicanism are NOT the conservative camps in the Communion. There are liberal Anglo-Catholics (High Church) and liberal Low Churchmen, and vice versa....and liberal and conservative Broad Churchmen. You can't categorize High Church, Low Church, and Broad Church into the Conservative-Liberal Dichotomy. The High, Low, and Broad camps of the Church are theological and liturgical distinctions, not political. Before trying to teach your flock about Anglicanism, learn the history and the demographics of the subject.
Herrick
3 years ago
I'm no expert but if Anglicans want to become Catholics wouldn't they need to accept that Anglican orders are null and void? I get the impression that "AngloCatholics" who are contemplating the move to Rome are still celebrating "Mass" which seems to suggest they believe their orders are valid after. Do they not accept the decisions of Pope Leo XIII?
Kathleen Schumann
3 years ago
I have enjoyed the articles on the Pope and the Anglican Church. It will be a blessing as it works. My father when stationed in England absently went to mass in an Anglican Church and did not realize the difference until the communion. He said he felt foolish but our priest told him not to feel that way because he felt in every way that he had entered a Catholic church at the time. It happened to be a High Anglican Church he found out later, which made him not see the difference right away. Love your articles.

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