Anglicanorum Coetibus attracts Anglicans desperate to get out of Anglican Communion
The Metropolitan of the Anglican Catholic Church, (ACC) the Most Rev. Mark Haverland, says his Continuing Anglican body is not the slightest bit interested in taking the Pope up on his offer of an Ordinariate as a safe harbor from the tribulations facing world Anglicanism.To read more, click here.
Writing in The Trinitarian the official gazette of the ACC, Haverland said the pope's terms, which include a total rejection by Rome of the validity of Anglican Episcopal acts and, therefore, also require re-confirmations and re-ordinations of all Anglicans, was of "no significant interest". While there may be some sympathy within the ACC for Anglicanorum Coetibus which has gone unvoiced, his experience has shown that there is little interest by his priests and people in the Pope's offer.
"From the Roman Catholic perspective the papal offer is generous. The offer permits the continued existence, at least for a time, of elements of traditional Anglican worship within the Roman Church. It also permits married Anglican "ministers" to be ordained as Roman priests while still married. These things are not new, as they already existed within the Pastoral Provision in North America. But the new Constitution extends these concessions to England and elsewhere and in addition offers leadership in organized quasi-dioceses (Ordinariates) by former Anglicans."
Haverland described these concessions as "trivial". He said there is no attempt to reconsider the rejection of Anglican Orders by Rome in the light of recent Roman Catholic (much less Anglican) scholarship.
"There is no deepening of reflection concerning the papal office to help accommodate the concerns of traditional Eastern Orthodox or Anglican Christians, though John Paul II opened the door to such a truly exciting possibility. There is nothing, in fact, of any theological significance about the offer. The offer, therefore, cannot be of interest to ACC members on the level of theological principle it can only attract Anglicans who are desperate to get out of Anglicanism."
3 comments:
Yes, and this scribe well remembers an interview not long ago--face to face--with Mark, ACC, another Tractated-Newmanian Anglican, with invocatory prayers to saints--in which the Reformational and Catholic faith was dismissed--dismissively, with a sniff, but without gravity, weight, or depth. This scribe dismissed Mark as quickly as he--stupidly--dismissed Reformation Anglicanism. "They are what they are."
It was a classic moment with Mark, ACC, but it was lost on the circle surrounding him. The ACC invokes the saints, with varied Missal mutterings, in this locale. We continue to use the BCP for private devotions, despite the exile in eastern North Carolina. Ain't gonna invoke the saints with the local folks...a dozen?
I most strongly like the Rector, a former USN Chaplain, a CAPT, and a former friend. A dignified, most kindly, and honourable man. A former United Methodist-turned-ACC.
But invoking varied saints, notwithstanding my kindly affection to a friend, a military Churchman, is vastly overwhelmed by the certain insults, indignities, and assaults on the supremacy of Christ, His Most Sovereign and Dreaded Majesty, yet with utter humanly approachability...these insults cannot and will not be tolerated...despite a kindly disregard for the theological incompetence of my--yes, dearly regarded--friend.
The rule, information and guidance re: HM is rather clear from those "in apostolic succession," to wit, the Biblical record.
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