Here is a story on the Net:
Vatican slammed over priests move
(UKPA) – The former Archbishop of Canterbury has branded as “inexcusable” the Catholic Church’s failure to warn his successor of their plans to admit disaffected Anglican priests. Lord Carey of Clifton told The Times that he was “appalled” that Dr Rowan Williams only learned of Rome’s intention to publish a new Apostolic Constitution to allow the move two weeks ago.“I think in this day and age, this was inexcusable that Rome decided to do this without consultation,” he said. Lord Carey added: “He should express his unhappiness with the process.”
He said that he was taken by surprise by the development although he admitted that he had been aware of “a number of bishops going to Rome and having conversations”. But he told the newspaper that the move was “worth considering.”
“There are a number of deeply worried, anxious Anglo-Catholics who do not believe they have a constructive future with the Church of England with the ordination of women as bishops.
Hold on a moment. I remember that. Didn’t Cardinal Kasper make a special visit to the English House of Bishops to plead with them not to go down the road of ordaining women bishops? In fact, the Catholic Church has for years been asking her Anglican dialogue partner why they keep making decisions “without consultation” which not only endanger but make completely impossible any future reconciliation between us. And have these pleas been heeded? No. Not from us, nor from those within their own fold who have been similarly concerned.
And as Lord Carey pointed out, every one knows of the request that has been made by the TAC some 18 months ago to be admitted into the Catholic communion. Did the Anglicans do anything to make it possible for them to re-enter their communion? Don’t forget that it would have been no harder for the Anglicans to make such a provision to keep their brothers and sisters in their fold than it was for the Catholics to make a provision to welcome them into theirs.
It just smacks of sour grapes. I don’t think Lord Carey has a thing to complain about. The Holy Father is not enticing Anglicans out of the Anglican Communion, he is making a home for those who have already (either in fact or in spirit) left it.
Don’t forget that it would have been no harder for the Anglicans to make such a provision to keep their brothers and sisters in their fold than it was for the Catholics to make a provision to welcome them into theirs.
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While I agree that Anglicans complaining about lack of consultation is a bit rich, it will be difficult for the Church of England to make provision for traditional Anglicans and virtually impossible for provision to be made in Australia.
Any provision would need to pass in General Synod and achieve a majority in the three houses – Bishops, Clergy & Laity. The will to do anything is simply not there and any opposition to the liberal agenda is increasingly met with “this is the way it is, take it or leave it”.
Which is sort of what I meant. It is just sour grapes to say that the Pope was willing to do what all three houses of the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Australia was unwilling to do. It seems to me just another case of the sort of thing we have been hearing for some time, viz.
“The Papacy is Authoritarian”, but whereas many democratic synods of protestant churches have presumed the authority to ordain women, the Pope has said “We have no authority” to do so.
“The Papacy is Exclusive”, but whereas the protestant churches continue to act in a way that excludes faithful and orthodox Christians and demands that everyone everywhere embrace their “modern” mores, the Pope welcomes all who share the Catholic faith into one communion respecting cultural diversity.
Yes I agree.
The interesting thing is that + Rowan Williams would appear to want to make provision but is unable to do so.
I have been through the mill of trying to secure adequate provision for traditional Anglicans. The attempt was sunk, because as soon as the balance of the diocesan Synod changed, as it was bound to do in the House of Clergy after the ordination of women, the legislation enabling episcopal care was repealed.
In England the current provisions are national parliamentary legislation. But they will be inadequate when female bishops becomes a reality. And as we both agree, there will not be the resolve to provide an adequate solution – it is the “final solution” that the liberals are really after.
“No consultation” is newspeak for “didn’t do what I demand.” As you pointed out, the Catholics have been attempting to gently urge Anglicans not to head down certain paths for soem time now. When they were completely ignored, even mocked, we didn’t hear any cries of “they didn’t consult with us” from Rome. We heard an almost mumbled expression of regret about the outcome but nothing more.
I personally think Rome could have filled them in more clearly, even if the entire process was so public and widely reported that blind Freddy could see it coming. Then again, Rome isn’t in the habit of filling Catholics in on their next bombshell, so Anglicans may be waiting a while.