Friday, December 30, 2011

Ordinariate Watch: Hundreds more Church of England defections expected


At least 20 clergy and several hundred of their parishioners are already lined up to join the Ordinariate, the new structure set up by the Pope a year ago that allows them to remain some of their Anglican heritage while entering into full communion with the Holy See.

But many more members of the Anglo-Catholic wing of the Church of England are likely to defect following a critical meeting of its governing body, the General Synod, if traditionalists who cannot accept the ordination of women are denied special provision.

The head of the Ordinariate, Mgr Keith Newton, told The Daily Telegraph: “There are in the region of 15 to 20 people who I think will be coming over this year. These are ordained Anglicans who wish to petition the Holy See for ordination.”

He said they are likely to bring a “couple of hundred” worshippers with them in a second wave of defections, following the 60 clergy and about 1,000 lay people who crossed the Tiber last year.

Mgr Newton, a former Anglican “flying bishop” who is now officially known as the Ordinary of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham, went on: “Then next year it depends a little bit on what the Synod decides to do. To read more, click here.

Related articles:
Seeds of the Ordinariate, Part One: Our Lady of the Atonement, San Antonio
Doors open for Anglicans to join Catholic Church

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