A11

Charles W. Moore

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The news was so overwhelming, I paused work for several hours to drink it in. On Oct. 20, Cardinal William Joseph Levada, prefect of the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and speaking on behalf of Pope Benedict XVI, announced creation of a new "Apostolic Constitution-" a canonical structure establishing "Personal Ordinariates" allowing former Anglicans to enter full communion with the Catholic Church, while preserving distinctive elements of Anglican spiritual and liturgical patrimony. Pastoral oversight will be provided through Personal Ordinariates, whose Ordinaries will usually be appointed from among former Anglican clergy.

Some backstory; this writer is an Anglican Catholic by persuasion, formerly evangelical protestant, now a member of the Traditional Anglican Communion (TAC), a jurisdiction formed to continue historic Anglican expression of the Catholic faith, numbering more than 400,000 members worldwide, most of whom left the established Anglican communion led by the Archbishop of Canterbury in protest over female ordination to the priesthood and episcopacy, novel liturgical innovations, and departure from common biblical teaching on human sexuality - particularly on abortion, ordination of openly homosexual clergy, and blessing of homosexual partnerships. There are a number of other, smaller continuing Anglican groups that are expected to respond positively to the Pope's invitation.

Restored communion with Rome has been an objective for many (although certainly not all) TAC-ers. In October, 2007, 38 TAC bishops convened in England to compose a formal proposal for reunion to be hand-delivered to the CDC, concurrently signing a copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church to signify full acceptance of Catholic doctrine.

Although downplayed by the Vatican, it's assumed the new Apostolic Constitution is the CDC's response to TAC overtures. After decades of apparently fruitless "ecumenical dialogue" with Canterbury Anglicans, the Pope evidently decided to move pro-actively, offering refuge to Anglicans adherent to the tenets of classical, biblical Christianity.

Describing the development as "a moment of grace, perhaps even a moment of history," TAC Primate Archbishop John Hepworth said he was "profoundly moved" by the Pope's decision and will immediately seek approval of TAC members worldwide to join.

"It is the hope of the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI," said Cardinal Levada, "that the Anglican clergy and faithful who desire union with the Catholic Church will find in this canonical structure the opportunity to preserve those Anglican traditions precious to them and consistent with the Catholic faith. Insofar as these traditions express in a distinctive way the faith that is held in common, they are a gift to be shared in the wider Church."

It's a gift "liberal" Catholics would rather not receive, dismayed at the prospect of hundreds of thousands of committed conservative traditionalists being received into the Church en masse, derailing their "progressive" agendas. One Catholic Culture blogger observed that the decision has enraged "progressivists" because Anglicans coming into the Catholic Church "will be active in practice, theologically aware, and proportionately resistant to gay and feminist faddishness."

Cardinal Walter Kasper, Vatican chief ecumenist and long-time antagonist of the former Cardinal Ratzinger, essentially boycotted discussions with the TAC and was notably absent from the press conference announcement. The Apostolic Constitution is said to be entirely CDC work, Kasper having dealt himself and his bureau out of the loop.

An unsigned Globe and Mail editorial characterized the Pope's move as "a Trojan horse" and a "one-sided attempt to reconcile faiths" that will inflame doctrinal battles, and that "Catholics who look for flexibility from their own leadership for themselves, over doctrinal and moral questions - communion for divorcees, abortion, female ordination - get the party line." Liberal commentators predictably characterize the announcement as "divisive."

That's just fine; indeed, evidence things are on the right track, to most TAC-ers. The TAC's doctrinal orthodoxy on life, family issues and liturgy is the true motivation behind Catholic and Anglican "progressive," liberal, and feminist objections to the Vatican's move, Ottawa-based TAC Suffragan Bishop Carl Reid told LifeSiteNews.com. "When it comes to issues of morality, especially family and pro-life, our membership is very strongly on the same page, as are Roman Catholics."

It's not quite a done deal. While the 2007 TAC proposal to the CDC affirmed common Catholic faith as defined by the Catechism and accepted the primacy of the See of Peter as Christ's will for the Church, the forthcoming Apostolic Constitution will stipulate that historical and ecumenical reasons (notably hoped-for restored communion with the Eastern Orthodox) preclude ordination of married men as bishops. Seminarians in the Ordinariate, whose clergy will be integrated into the Catholic Church, will be prepared alongside other Catholics. Presumably, TAC priests and bishops will have to be preordained, married bishops facing demotion. Some TAC-ers are opposed.

Even Archbishop Hepworth, who is married, will be out of his job, but the wheels are in motion. There'll be some bumps in the road, but we're headed home at last. Hallelujah!

Charles W. Moore is a Nova Scotia based freelance writer and editor. He can be reached by e-mail at cwmoore@gmx.net. His column appears each Thursday.