Catholic Church Opens Door to Anglicans

LONDON, Oct 20, 2009— -- In a surprise announcement Tuesday the Vatican laid out plans to make it easier for disaffected Anglicans -- including U.S. Episcopalians -- to join the Catholic Church.

Pope Benedict XVI has approved a new church provision, or an Apostolic Constitution, that will allow Anglicans to join the Catholic Church while maintaining many of their distinctive spiritual and liturgical traditions, including having married priests.

"It is the hope of the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI that the Anglican clergy and faithful who desire union with the Catholic Church will find in this canonical structure the opportunity to preserve those Anglican traditions precious to them and consistent with the Catholic faith," Cardinal William Levada, the Vatican's chief doctrinal official, announced at a news conference today.

The papal document was not itself unveiled at the press conference as its publishing has been delayed because of technical and translating corrections but should be ready in a few weeks. Until the document is published the mechanics of the process remain unclear.

Many Anglicans, disappointed by the more liberal moves of their church, namely the ordination of women and gays as priests and bishops and the blessing of same-sex unions, have asked to become aligned with the Holy See.

Cardinal Levada would not specify who these Anglicans are that have approached the Vatican wishing to make this transition but did say the Vatican had received "many" worldwide requests over the last three years. These requests would include ones coming from members of the Episcopal Church in the U.S., the main branch of the worldwide Anglican Communion.

Although this could mean a potentially large exodus from the Anglican to the Catholic Church, the head of the Anglican Communion, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, insisted that this move by the Vatican should not be interpreted as poaching.

Just last week, the Vatican's top ecumenical official, Cardinal Walter Kasper, told reporters: "We are not fishing in the Anglican pond," when asked about the Vatican's negotiations with would-be converts.

"The Apostolic Constitution is further recognition of the substantial overlap in faith, doctrine and spirituality between the Catholic Church and the Anglican tradition," Williams said in a joint statement with his Catholic colleague, Vincent Nichols, the Archbishop of Westminster.

The two held a joint press conference today simultaneous with the Vatican's. Archbishop Williams was apparently warned of today's announcement only two weeks ago.