Statement from Bishop Geoffrey Rowell and
Bishop David Hamid
on the Apostolic Constitution, 22 October 2009
The announcement on 20 October that Pope Benedict
XVI has approved, by Apostolic Constitution, a canonical structure, “Personal
Ordinariates”, to allow former Anglicans to enter into full communion
of the Roman Catholic Church, has been received by many Anglicans with some
degree of surprise. Cardinal William Levada, Prefect of the Congregation of
the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), has stated that this provision is in response
to requests which have come from Anglicans and Anglican groups in different
parts of the world.
- The text of the Apostolic Constitution itself
has not been made public as yet. Until it is it is not possible to comment
on the details of this provision, and precisely what is being proposed.
- The provision is directed both to those
of Anglican tradition who have left the Anglican Communion, (such as
the members of the Traditional Anglican
Communion, TAC) as
well as those who are presently still part of the Anglican Communion.
- It is clear that the consideration of such
a pastoral provision is only possible because of .significant
convergence which has emerged over 40 years of international
official dialogue – ARCIC – on
matters thought to divide Anglicans and Roman Catholics.
- It is important to understand that
this recent development is not identical with the goal of the international
dialogue, nor the primary way in which the Roman Catholic Church is responding
to our dialogue. While
it can be recognised that the ARCIC agreements have created a climate
for serious consideration of a response to requests from individuals
or groups of Anglicans, or former Anglicans, to be received into the
Roman Catholic Church, the Apostolic Constitution in establishing Personal
Ordinariates is a pastoral response
to some particular requests made to the Holy See; it is not the completion
of the articulated goal of our international dialogue.
- It is interesting that a Personal
Ordinariate will allow the expression of continuing Anglican
heritage. This seems to echo what Pope Paul VI stated
back in 1970 concerning the re-establishment of full
communion: “There will be no seeking
to lessen the legitimate prestige and the worthy patrimony of piety
and usage proper to the Anglican Church when the Roman Catholic Church – this
humble “Servant of the Servants of God” – is
able to embrace her ever beloved Sister in the one authentic
communion of the family of Christ”.
- The ecumenical goal of the dialogue, first
articulated by Pope Paul VI and Archbishop Michael Ramsey
in 1966, and reiterated in subsequent common declarations
between Popes and Archbishops, is to lead to “a restoration of complete communion of faith and sacramental
life”. The preparation of the Apostolic Constitution
was undertaken by the Congregation for the Doctrine of
the Faith and not the Pontifical Council for the Promotion
of Christian Unity.
- In November there will be official meetings
in Rome to prepare for the third phase of ARCIC. The official
international ecumenical dialogue between the Roman Catholic
Church and the Anglican Communion thus still continues,
with the same goal first articulated in 1966.
|
