Anglican group seeks reunion with Rome
PORTLAND, September 30 (CNA) - The Anglican Church in America has
decided to
seek union with the Roman Catholic Church. If unification were
successful,
this would be the first post-Reformation church to reunite with Rome,
reports journalist Ken Tatro from "keep me current" in Oregon.
The Anglican Church in America is part of the worldwide Traditional
Anglican
Communion, which consists of churches that split from the mainstream
Anglican Communion in 1979 in opposition to the ordination of women
clergy
and to changes made to the Book of Common Prayer, which includes the
basic
doctrines and prayers.
Tatro reported that an international gathering of members of the
Traditional
Anglican Communion, including their highest-ranking cleric, Archbishop
John
Hepworth, met at St. Paul's in Portland last week.
They voted in favor of starting a formal discussion with Rome and
eventually
creating what is called a "single Eucharist community." This would
allow
members of the Traditional Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic
Church
to take communion at each other's churches.
The leaders hope to propose a formal plan to the Vatican by next year.
It is
unclear how long the process of reunification will take.
Despite unification, from a basic theological and operational
standpoint,
nothing will be different within the church, said Very Rev. Lester
York,
dean of St. Paul's.
York told Tatro that St. Paul's is gaining membership as the Episcopal
Church ordains homosexual clergy and debates blessing same-sex unions.
He
said his church is attracting people who no longer find the liberalism
of
other Protestant faiths acceptable.
Formal unity with Rome would better reflect the sect's doctrine, York
told
the reporter. He said his church's beliefs are similar to Roman
Catholic and
has the same seven sacraments.
Traditional Anglican Communion leaders have been discussing unification
with
Rome for the past few years, York reported. These discussions have
included
former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who is now Pope Benedict XVI.