Liberals claim that Pope Benedict has “let it be known that he does not support the defection of conservative Anglicans to the Roman Catholic Church”. He has done no such thing.
The Pope is supporting moves by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith to construct a model whereby a group of rebel conservative Anglicans, the Traditional Anglican Communion, can be received en masse and occupy their own structures inside the Roman Catholic Church. This model ”“ which is being constructed in secret ”“ could serve as a blueprint for mainstream Anglicans wanting to convert as a group.
To understand what is going on, it is important to grasp that Cardinal Walter Kasper, the Vatican’s head of ecumenism who is attending Lambeth, is not a close adviser to the Pope. He and the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger have even clashed publicly in the past. Likewise, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, who is also attending Lambeth, is not close to the Holy Father.
Always remember: it was Cardinal Ratzinger who sent a personal message of support to conservative Anglicans meeting in Dallas in 2003, thereby horrifying Kasper ”“ who, as a professional ecumenist, probably is unsympathetic to Anglo-Catholics rocking the boat. But he, thank God, is soon to retire.
Read it all.
Damian Thompson: Benedict is encouraging Anglican converts
Liberals claim that Pope Benedict has “let it be known that he does not support the defection of conservative Anglicans to the Roman Catholic Church”. He has done no such thing.
The Pope is supporting moves by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith to construct a model whereby a group of rebel conservative Anglicans, the Traditional Anglican Communion, can be received en masse and occupy their own structures inside the Roman Catholic Church. This model ”“ which is being constructed in secret ”“ could serve as a blueprint for mainstream Anglicans wanting to convert as a group.
To understand what is going on, it is important to grasp that Cardinal Walter Kasper, the Vatican’s head of ecumenism who is attending Lambeth, is not a close adviser to the Pope. He and the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger have even clashed publicly in the past. Likewise, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, who is also attending Lambeth, is not close to the Holy Father.
Always remember: it was Cardinal Ratzinger who sent a personal message of support to conservative Anglicans meeting in Dallas in 2003, thereby horrifying Kasper ”“ who, as a professional ecumenist, probably is unsympathetic to Anglo-Catholics rocking the boat. But he, thank God, is soon to retire.
Read it all.