Wednesday, October 21, 2009
How About Them Anglicans?
By now I hope everyone has heard the exciting news regarding some of our separated brethren. Come back! To the fold! The One Fold of Christ--His Church! It's super amazing the way Pope Benedict has taken a pastoral approach even to Christians outside the visible herd. Also, praise be to God, here is the response by the Primate of the Traditional Anglican Communion. He's darn right in saying, "It more than matches our prayers." To be honest, I had forgotten a little bit about the Anglicans. Even though my mom is a member of an Anglican-use Catholic parish, and even though I recently visited England itself, I seem to forget the plight of English people who long to be in communion with the Catholic Church. I kind of assumed they would have to just "suck it up" and convert, but Fr. Z makes the point that it really isn't that easy. Conversion is always a crucifixion, no matter if it's made easier by the pope's provisions or not. I think that's especially why this action of his imitates Christ, the Merciful Shepherd.
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I've been following the story since Tuesday and one of the frequently repeated criticisms I've read is that this injures ecumenical dialogue. Sadly, this goes to show how so many in the Church don't know what true ecumenism is: union in the one, true Church of Christ, not "every religion is equal". Indeed, this Apostolic Constitution is ecumenism par excellance because it always a schismatic group to return to full unity, i.e., they conform to all points of Catholic doctrine, while preserving their own traditions. (Traditions based on Roman Catholic worship in the first place.)
On the same note, it's really pathetic to read those people who wonder why the Pope won't extend the "hand of friendship" to advocates of gay-marriage, women priests, etc. These people can't seem to recognize the difference between Anglicans who agree with Church teaching and want to be under the See of Peter, and cafeteria-Catholics who want the See of Peter to change according to their whims.
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