Vatican Regret at Anglican Vote to Ordain Female Bishops
The Vatican Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity issued a Statement Tuesday regarding recent events within the Anglican Communion. The Council is headed by Cardinal Walter Kasper. The statement reads: “We have regretfully learned of the Church of England vote to pave the way for the introduction of legislation which will lead to the ordaining of women to the Episcopacy.
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21 comments:
All I can say is the Vatican's statement is "expected" considering its relentless hold to a position of patriarchy.
Color me shocked.
I'm serious.
I suppose we just have to accept that fact that women are, indeed, simply faulty and hop on the boat to Rome now.
I suppose we now get to watch yet another wave of CoE priest and Bishops go through RCIA.
I say BIG DEAL. The Roman Catholic Church considers none of us ordained in the Anglican Communion as "valid" bishops, priests or deacons. So this is a red herring to support a patriarchial agenda.
And you know what else?
As long as they hold to that testimony to ecclesiastical hot and mendacity that is Apostolicae Curae I don't care WHAT the Bishop of Rome and of his detestable Enormities have to say.
All I can say is BIG DEAL. The Roman Church considers none of us in Anglican Orders "Valid." So we deacons, priests or bishops are, in their eyes, lay people...which is a pretty good thing, but it is a red herring in this argument. This whole thing only fuels schism on our side while they give nothing.
As Catholic visitor to this blog and close in community with so many TEC bloggers, I hang my head in shame for my church and in sadness over the whole situation regarding women.
Well not the part where they get to be bishops!
This whole thing gets uglier and sadder.
If I lived in Pasadena CA and not Albany NY, who knows this might work out differently for me.
For the moment, I stay where I am, agitating within.
However, it does make me sick to my stomach that if I were in your church you would welcome me to your table and despite what I think, or even what I suspect my pastor thinks... Officially, you can't come to ours.
It is so wrong.
The arrogance is simply breathtaking.
From the Bishop of Rome and his detestable enormities,
Good Lord deliver us.
HelLO, they announced not so long ago that any church other than the Roman one, is not official.
More of the same!
Yawn. Why even notice them?
IT
If I were in a leadership position in the Episcoapl Church, I would radically change the way we deal with Rome. For starters, I would reach out explicitly to their people--lay and clerical--and recruit them into the Episcopal Church by offering the pastoral and sacramental care that they don't to divorced people, women who've had abortions, and persons in same-sex relationships. Second, I would encourage our people to attend their Churches and receive communion in numbers. Third, I would relentlessly, and publicly, attack Apostolicae Curae by calling it the insult that it is, as well as their anti-female and anti-gay policies. Fourth, I would invite their clergy to preach and to concelebrate with our clergy. Fifth, I would solicit the cooperation of the Lutherans, and maybe the Methodists as well, in the aforementioned endeavors. The present theory of ecumenical relations simply is not working as it has not changed the bigoted, prejudiced behavior of the Roman Empire which is so antithetical to the teachings of our Lord Jesus. We've tried making nice to them for years and even respecting their alleged right to insult us with Apostolicae Curae, but we've gotten nowhere. Their response has been that ecumenism is on their terms, period. The latest emission from Rome (to use a ++ KJS term), is but one more example of that. Reasonable minds can differ on subjects like abortion or other social policies, but human rights, and respect for our Holy Orders and our Eucharist are non-negotiables. Repelling us from the Lord's table in their Churches, telling us our clergy are not validly ordained and that we do not celebrate a valid Mass does not fit with the Baptismal Covenant to seek and serve Christ in all persons and to resepct the dignity of every human being.
As a former RC sister, I have always wondered why the Anglican Communion and TEC of all folks should be worried about what Rome says or does. I thought we had finished with Rome 500 years ago. It just tells me that many of the Anglo-Catholics are just RC wannabe's who can't deal with poverty, chastity and obedience and not truely catholic.
We have to come to a better understanding of what Catholic means within Anglo-Catholicism if A-C is going to mean something other than union with Rome.
I thought the exercise of +Clarence Pope some years ago told it all---there is only room for one Pope on that side of the Tiber. Roman Catholicism since Trent has devolved into a Cult. Vatican II was the hope that the Church could right itself, but J2P2 kept that from happening.
All this reminds me of the conversation I had 15 years ago now with my ex-husband (a Brit) when the ordination of women to the priesthood finally happened in the CofE.
"What's all the fuss about?" he asked (being a not-so-on-top-of-all-the-"church talk"-type)
I explained that one of the issues for those opposed to the ordination of women was that it was a barrier to reunification with Rome ...
He declared that was the best argument FOR the ordination of women he'd heard yet!
Your "ex" summed it up pretty well, didn't he?
One thing I cannot for the life of me understand is how, 400 years on, both some Anglicans and the entire Vatican does not know the paths have diverged?
FWIW
jimB
I'm trying to understand these comments.
Could someone explain to me (politely) why God created man and woman, if they are exactly the same in every way except their roles in the procreative process?
"Could someone explain to me (politely) why God created man and woman, if they are exactly the same in every way except their roles in the procreative process?"
Because of their (biological) roles in the procreative process possibly?
:-)
"If I were in a leadership position in the Episcoapl Church, I would radically change the way we deal with Rome."
And I would recommend you look to the reign of the first Elizabeth and specifically to the activities of Sir Francis Walsingham.
Do we get to issue formal statements disapproving of their selection of Popes? WHY do we care what they say? I care what Fran says and what my friends who are RC say but I sure don't give a rats a** what the Vatican says. Heck, I'm beyond caring what the ABC says so Bennie and his crew are really of no interest.
The Vatican’s response to an international priestly sex scandal was to cover up, stonewall and pay off. Their response to poverty in the developing world has been to condemn the use of birth control. Women and children lose. Patriarchy wins. Why would anyone want to reunify with such with an institution?
Dear Lord, to think I left the Roman Catholic Church and it's bigotry and patriarchy and found a home with TEC only to see that the AC is concerned with gaining the acceptance of the RCC? I just don't get it.
I don't know, look at that picture again -- don't the guys look like they're having fun! Compared to the other picture -- of the women Bishop (that I wish had been identified). Now, who do I think Jesus would want to sit down and talk with... As for me, whether it's a photo op or a religious op I'd rather be sitting next to Barbara Harris and the other women any day. But then I'm looking for reasoned debate -- not dogma.
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