Ordinariate not the way forward for Anglo-Catholics: Anglo-Catholic Priest calls for civil debate

As Christianity is in itself a sort of amorphous gathering of disparate folk who happen to belong to a specific faith, one of the defining characters of this faith is the outreach that is demanded of us: to love our neighbour as ourselves, not to go out and kill them , nor to maim or otherwise disable them: not to see them as the 'opposition', to be forced into some form of surrender or humiliation: no: the difference is profound, the duty of the Christian believer is to follow the teaching of Jesus Christ, 'Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.' (Matt. 5.43-45) Archbishop Collins of Toronto, Delegate of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith for Anglicanorum Coetibus in Canada, has called a meeting in Mississauga for March 24th - 26th 2011, to discuss the potential for an implementation of an Ordinariate in Canada.

In his introductory comments, he makes an interesting response to the question, 'Is opposition to recent trends in sacramental and moral teaching in Anglicanism reason enough to join an ordinariate?' 'No, that is not a reason in itself for joining an ordinariate, though concern about recent decisions within Canterbury Anglicanism regarding the sacraments and moral teaching may be the catalyst that leads an Anglican, or a group of Anglicans, to want to join the Catholic Church.

Becoming a Catholic in an ordinariate, while retaining the noble Anglican patrimony is, however, a positive step, never merely a reaction to something in current Anglicanism. By joining an ordinariate, one becomes a Catholic Christian, who fully accepts the whole faith of the Catholic Church as expressed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, though retaining liturgical, pastoral, cultural, and spiritual traditions of Anglicanism which are in harmony with that faith.

For those who disagree with recent trends in Anglicanism, but who do not want to become Catholics, in communion with the Pope and accepting the whole faith presented in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, there are various other options; they clearly would not want to join an ordinariate established according to Anglicanorum Coetibus.' (http://www.archtoronto.org/ordinariate/points.htm) It is in this reply that we might find an exemplar of the true answer to the question, 'Why should I love my neighbour'.

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