Saturday, November 21, 2009

There's No Place Like Rome



The Archbishop of Canterbury is in Rome to meet with Pope Benedict XVI who has outlined the procedures for Anglicans who just can't stand the idea of women as bishops... and really don't like gay people very much either... to go back to Rome. They won't have to surrender their prayer books, but they will have to surrender to the infallibility of the Pope.

The ABC doesn't believe this move by the Pope to cater to the "traditionalists" in the Church and set up a "Catholic Lite" track for them does anything to injure the relations between Anglicans and Roman Catholics. And I suppose it wouldn't; it might make our side of the equation nicer because all the malcontents can become RCs. And we might gain some more of the open-minded members of the Roman Catholic Church who can't stomach remaining with an institution that would invite in more bigots, and insist on celibacy for their priests, while allowing married Anglican priests to be considered "on a case-by-case" basis.

The ABC's visit, which had been on the schedule for awhile, will be to discuss the relations between the two churches. I admit to feeling a little uneasy about all this. I'm wondering what ++Rowan will "offer" to maintain some kind of civility between the two men. O God: Help, help, help!

2 comments:

Phoebe said...

Could we be so lucky to have him cross over? I seem to remember there have been times when there was more than one Pope.. But I guess not. Something about bishop's not being accepted even as bishops.

SCG said...

Phoebe, I must forward you the photograph of ++Rowan from MadPriest's blog. It is disturbing and funny all at the same time!