By Robin G. Jordan
In a number of Catholic articles on the Anglican Ordinariate I have repeatedly come across the view that if Anglo-Catholics take advantage of Pope Benedict’s offer, they will become true Catholics. The inference is that Anglo-Catholics are not truly Catholics. Indeed anyone outside the Church of Rome is not truly Catholic, even the Eastern Orthodox. This has been a long-held attitude of Roman Catholics. Whatever may be the official church pronouncements upon the Catholicity of the Eastern Orthodox Churches, Roman Catholics still think of themselves as the only true Catholics.
Anglo-Catholics who accept the Pope’s offer will not be simply transferring from one church to another. They will be entering the Roman Catholic Church as catechumens—individuals who are in need of indoctrination and instruction in “Catholicism.”
The experience of the Eastern Catholics may give them a peek into their own future. The Eastern Catholics do not have any special seminaries for those training as Eastern Catholic (Uniate) clergy, through which their own identity and traditions are preserved. Those seeking to become Eastern Catholic (Uniate) clergy must attend the same seminaries as those seeking to serve in mainstream Roman Catholic parishes. While Eastern Catholic (Uniate) clergy may be married, they do not enjoy the same standing in the Roman Catholic hierarchy, as do celibate priests. They do not receive the same kind of appointments. This has also been the experience of married Pastoral Provisions priests. They are second-class citizens.
The Roman Catholic Church in North America is beset by its own share of troubles—sexual scandals, shrinking vocations, declining revenues, and parish and school consolidations and closings. There are calls from various quarters for lay participation in archdiocesan decision-making and the ordination of women. The Roman Catholic Church will be implementing its new liturgy in the coming year. Converts to Roman Catholicism will be expected to use the new rites irrespective of the other Christian tradition from which they come. They will also be expected to use the hymnal or songbook adopted by the Roman Catholic parish in which they find themselves. Depending upon the part of Canada or the United States Anglicans and Episcopalians converting to Roman Catholicism may discover the local Roman Catholic parish is as liberal as the local Anglican or Episcopal parish or even more so.
Once an Anglo-Catholic parish has undergone indoctrination and instruction in Roman Catholicism and has been received into the Roman Catholic Church, it is highly unlikely that the parish will be permitted to remain intact unless it is fairly large. Smaller parishes are likely to be consolidated with existing Roman Catholic parishes. Any property that a parish brings into the Roman Catholic Church with it will become the property of the Roman Catholic Church and will in the case of the smaller parishes in all likelihood be sold.
The history of the Roman Catholic Church reveals little tolerance for regional diversity, much less special group diversity. For example, Roman Catholic cathedrals at one time had their own liturgical color schemes like Church of England cathedrals but these color schemes were eventually suppressed and replaced by an ultramontane uniformity.
Anglo-Catholics considering accepting the papal offer need to be aware that there is a strong likelihood that the Roman Catholic Church interprets this offer differently from themselves. A lot of fanciful notions circulating about the offer are just that—fanciful notions. They are being invited to accept an offer that has not been fully worked out and all the details made public. This gives the Vatican and the local Roman Catholic hierarchy more wiggle room. It is also not in the nature of the Roman Catholic Church to be completely open and transparent. This makes the offer something of a pig in a poke. Only after they have bought the bag will they discover what is really inside. Will it be the suckling pig they were expecting? Or will it be an angry cat furious at having been tied in a sack?
The shopkeepers of ancient Rome were known for their sharp practices. The Romans had an expression, “Caveat emptor! Buyer beware!” Anglo-Catholics would not be the first naïve provincials who did not get what they bargained for!
Robin,
ReplyDeleteI am curious why this matters to you? After all, you and several of the commenters here seem to think even conservative Anglo-catholics are not legitimately Christian. So why does it matter if some of them wander off to Rome?
From the perspective of an admitted liberal Anglo-catholic sort like me this is tragedy because we are in the "big tent" business and do not want to loose any perspective. But that is not what I read here.
It is not likely that the conservative sorts who are going to Rome will come back converted to evangelicals. If anything they are likely to leave Rome and either decide that living with progressives is not that bad or find some place in the Continuum.
What am I missing?
FWIW
jimB
Jim,
ReplyDeleteI can only suggest that you re-read the New Testament. Also the Old Testament.
What I believe is also much more nuanced than what may be apparent from my articles and the comments that I leave in response to other people's articles or comments.
Other factors that may help to explain my point of view is that for twenty-five years I worked with people in crisis and a range of other circumstances which are not conducive to good decision-making and in which people are particularly vulnerable to deception and exploitation.
My father's family is Roman Catholic. My first cousin's first wife, his two daughters, and their children are Roman Catholic. My oldest niece's husband's maternal grandmother was Roman Catholic. She would have wanted a requiem Mass but the family members who buried her were only nominally Roman Catholic. She was buried without any kind of funeral service. I read the Burial Office at her graveside.
For over 30 years I lived in southeastern Louisiana which has a large Roman Catholic population and where it is impossible not to have friends, neigbors, and co-workers who are not Roman Catholic. I was involved with an ex-Roman Catholic nun.
During that time I became well acquainted with the seamy side of the Roman Catholic Church, as well as the more presentable side that it shows to the public. I am pretty sure that a good friend of mine in junior high school was one of the altar boys sexually abused by a priest.
For almost two years I was involved in a church that had a ministry to lapsed Roman Catholics.
I have also known a number of people who upon trying the Roman Catholic Church found that it was not what they thought it would be.
I would not hold my breath waiting for conservatives to come trooping back to the Episcopal Church. It is not going to happen. I also do not expect liberals to own up to making a serious mistake.
As for the Continuum--did you ever watch the movie The Incredible Shrinking Man?
If your answer is that you care about those whom the RC's mis-lead, I can understand that. No, I have never seen that film (it is a film right?) I see very few movies, this week Sue-z and I will be at the new Harry Potter flick and it will be about the second movie I have seen this year.
ReplyDeleteFWIW
jimB
Jim,
ReplyDeleteYes, it is a movie. And I do care the people who may accept the papal offer even if I do not agree with their beliefs and practices.
The third Narnia Chronicles movie, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader will be showing in the theaters beginning December 10th. I am planning to go to that movie as well as Deathly Hallows - Part I.
All showings on Friday night were sold out and I may wait a few days until the crowds thin out. We have only one theater here in Murray--the Cherie. Harry Potter movies draw big crowds. If I had a black academic or preaching gown, I would done my cassock, tuck my wand in my sleeve, and go in costume.