It is no surprise or secret that feelings are running high on both sides of the Tiber with regard to the Pope’s offer of an Ordinariate for those Anglicans seeking to enter fully into the life and witness of the Roman Catholic Church. However those feelings are markedly different depending on what shore you stand. This week Pope Benedict met with the RC Bishops of England and Scotland and his words were full of welcome, encouragement and hope. This is what he said:
Ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue assume great importance in England and Wales, given the varied demographic profile of the population. As well as encouraging you in your important work in these areas, I would ask you to be generous in implementing the provisions of the Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum Coetibus, so as to assist those groups of Anglicans who wish to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church. I am convinced that, if given a warm and open-hearted welcome, such groups will be a blessing for the entire Church.
With these thoughts, I commend your apostolic ministry to the intercession of Saint David, Saint George and all the saints and martyrs of England and Wales. May Our Lady of Walsingham guide and protect you always. To all of you, and to the priests, religious and lay faithful of your country, I cordially impart my Apostolic Blessing as a pledge of peace and joy in the Lord Jesus Christ.
How clear that the Pope sees this development in a positive light. His words are full of graciousness and welcome and he seems to be implying that we Anglicans with truly Catholic hearts have something to offer the RC church as well as something to receive. Now contrast that with the very dismissive manner in which the Archbishop of York pours cold water on the whole affair in a recent interview:
“If people genuinely realise that they want to be Roman Catholic, they should convert properly, and go through catechesis and be made proper Catholics. This kind of creation [the Apostolic Constitution] — well, all I can say is, we wish them every blessing and may the Lord encourage them. But as far as I am concerned, if I was really, genuinely wanting to convert, I wouldn’t go into an Ordinariate. I would actually go into catechesis and become a truly converted Roman Catholic and be accepted.”
William Crawley: “So those Anglicans who take advantage of the Apostolic Constitution, you’re saying, would not be ‘proper Catholics’?”
Archbishop Sentamu: “Well, I mean, I’d be very surprised –”
William Crawley: “What would they be if they are not ‘proper Catholics’?”
Archbishop Sentamu: “They would be what they are: an Ordinariate of the Vatican.”
These words stand in stark contrast to the holy Father’s and I am left wondering what information ++Sentemu has that the Pope does not? With what authority does he proclaim the ordinariate to be ‘not proper’ when the Pope so clearly expresses a desire to give it full life? At best he is troubled and misinformed, at worst he is deliberately trying to worry those considering the offer on both sides of the divide.
Perhaps the heirarchy of the Church of England should pause before speaking and consider how ungracious it appears when they both refuse the space for Catholics to thrive whilst also trying to deny us life elsewhere! As General Synod meets this week it would be wise to ponder the situation carefully. Either decide to embrace orthodox Catholic theology and match the Pope’s offer or else embrace the generosity of the Vatican and seek to help those you no longer value to find life with integrity elsewhere. But be warned, after years of pain and frustration there will be those who no longer care by what tortous means the Synod intends to progress or to stifle now that Saint Peter is calling them home.
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