Ordinariate Watch: Anglican Church in America Clarifies Position on Ordinariate: "We are not going to Rome," Say Leaders

Rt. Rev. Louis Campese Resigns as Bishop of DEUS. He accepts Rome's offer

The Anglican Church in America (ACA), one of the largest of the Continuing Anglo Catholic bodies in the US, has issued a letter through its chancellors saying it will not join with its Archbishop, John Hepworth, and accept the Pope's offer of a personal ordinariate.

Bishop Brian Marsh, Diocese of the Northeast, told VOL that this clarifies their situation which has been in some limbo since the Pope's offer due to a number of parishes in the ACA wanting to accept the Anglicanorum Coetibus. "While this clarifies our position at the present time the future remains open. Our leader is still Archbishop John Hepworth but that could change if he should go to Rome."

The ACA came into being more than 20 years ago as a merger of The American Episcopal Church (AEC) and about half of the Anglican Catholic Church (ACC). The ACA has decided they will not accept the ordinariate offered by Pope Benedict XVI at this time and will stay as an orthodox Anglican body in the US. The ACA is not recognized by the Anglican Communion or the Episcopal Church nor is it recognized by the newly formed Anglican Church in North America (ACNA).

There is a desire to separate amicably from those parishes that wish to accept the pope's offer commented Marsh. The bishop believes that about 20% of the ACA will accept the ordinariate. "We do regard this as an opportunity for all Continuing Anglicans to come together, said Marsh. "We are in talks with other Continuing Anglican bodies."

The Chancellor of the ACA today issued a letter at the request of the bishops of the Church clarifying where the denomination stands.

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