The way of communion

In order to put an end to a period of uncertainty, an “Apostolic Constitution”, allowing Anglican faithful and clericals to enter in “full and visible communion” with the Catholic Church, is due to be published soon. The Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Card. William Levada, prese nted the document on October 19 to journalists in the Vatican. A press conference on the same subject was held in London with the speeches of archbishop Vincent Gerard Nichols, Primate of the Catholic Church of England and Wales and by the archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, primate of the Anglican Communion. According to Cardinal Levada, some 20-30 Anglican bishops and “hundreds” of groups of faithful expressed their intention to become part of the Catholic Church. With the Apostolic Constitution pope Benedict XVI introduced a canonical structure which envisages “corporative reunion” through the establishment of personal ordinations that will enable Anglican faithful to enter in full communion with the Catholic Church while preserving – states a note of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith – elements pertaining specifically to the Anglican spiritual and liturgical patrimony”. The structure. The pastoral guidance for these groups of faithful will be provided by a personal ordainment. The Apostolic constitution envisages a canonical model that makes possible the priestly ordination of married clericals from the Anglican Communion. However, historical and ecumenical reasons prohibit married men to become bishops of the Catholic or Orthodox Churches. “For this reason – is stated in the note – the Constitution establishes that a non-married priest or bishop can have ordinary responsibilities”. The Constitution – Prefect Cardinal Levada explained – “authorizes a new structure”; but its execution will take place in stages. It’s the fruit of a series of “consultations” with cardinal Walter Kasper and with the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith will be in charge of authorizing the ordinations since – the prefect said – “fundamental questions” of faith are at stake. A series of decisions taken over the past years within the Anglican Communion, like the ordination of women priests or bishops, the ordination of self-declared homosexual bishops and the possibility of uniting in marriage same-sex couples, have led Anglican faithful to want to enter the Catholic Church. A delicate balance. “With this proposal – said the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith cardinal William Levada – the Church wishes to respond to the legitimate aspirations of these Anglican groups, for a full and visible communion with the Bishop of Rome, the successor of Peter”. “We have sought to meet concertedly and equally the requests for full union coming from Anglican faithful across the world over the past years”. The Anglicans that contacted the Holy See – cardinal Levada pointed out – “said that they share the common Catholic faith, as expressed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church and that they accept Peter’s ministry as an element willed by Christ for the Church”. However, they also highlighted the importance of their “Anglican traditions in the realm of spirituality and worship”. Indeed, Apostolic Constitution is designed to create “a balance between the wish to preserve the precious liturgical and spiritual Anglican patrimony and the assurance that these groups and their clergy be incorporated within the Catholic Church”. In line with the ecumenical commitment. In his address the Prefect repeatedly underlined that the new measure is in line with the commitment for ecumenical dialogue that continues representing a “priority for the Catholic Church”. As relates to the latest decisions taken by the Anglican communion that caused much discomfort among its members, His Eminence said: “I would rather say that if the Anglican Communion had not accepted the priestly ordination of women and the ordination of homosexual ministers, we would certainly be much closer today. However, these are facts we need to confront since they symbolize the ecumenical situation we are experiencing today. I called the archbishop of Canterbury. It’s a very difficult moment for the Anglican Communion. I offered my prayers, ensuring him that this provision does not affect our commitment for ecumenism, which indeed remains the same”. The fruits of the dialogue between the two Churches. “The Apostolic Constitution puts an end to a period of uncertainty for those groups that cherished the hope of embracing unity with the Catholic Church”. In these terms and in a joint statement archbishop Vincent Gerard Nichols, primate of the Catholic Church of England and Wales and the archbishop of Canterbury , Rowan Williams, primate of the Anglican Communion, released the news of the Apostolic Constitution in London. The provision – they state – is “a further recognition” of the vicinity “of the faith, doctrine and spirituality linking the Catholic Church and the Anglican tradition. Without these forty years of dialogue, this recognition would not be possible, nor would it have been possible to fuel hopes for a full and visible unity. In this sense, the Apostolic Constitution is a consequence of the ecumenical dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion”. “With the grace of God and with prayer – is written in the statement – we are determined to continue stepping up our joint commitment on these and other questions”.