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Dec 29th, 2019
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,028
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I've never heard of an Anglican convert to Catholicism being required to assert that his previous sacramental and Christian life was all a sham and a mockery.
The Catholic Church does not recognize the validity of Anglican Orthodox - and neither do the Orthodox, when push comes to shove. But "invalid" does not always mean "inefficacious".
Fr. Serge Dear Father Serge: No one is saying that the Anglicans must be required to say that their previous sacramental life was a mockery. But the Bishop of Fulham's letter refers specifically to the refusal of then-Cardinal Ratzinger to recognize a shared Eucharistic life with the Anglicans. That can only refer to the question of Anglican Orders.
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Joined: Jun 2006
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One can make it clear that the Catholic Church does not recognize Anglican Orders and does not require people to repudiate their previous spiritual life. But I will agree that clarity and consistency are not all that characteristic of . . . well, of a certain religious body with which we are familiar!
Fr. Serge
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Joined: Jan 2002
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The Anglicans would surely be more comfortable moving into the Catholic Church if they could do so in the company of their existing parishes and with their clergy. But they may have to become members of their local Catholic parishes.
A large factor would be in the legal/economic realm. Can these groups separate from the Church of England, or other Anglican Churches around the world, and take the parish property and accounts with them? This is curently being tested in the courts in Virginia.
A recent decision held that the state law on divisions of religious organizations trumped the canon law which the Episcopal Bishop wanted to enforce against dissident parishes. There will surely be an appeal.
I would guess that most Anglicans who have become really fed up have moved on to other faith communities. Some have become Catholic, more evangelical or protestant.
Those remaining have a choice to make. A decision to join with Rome is one thing. A requirement to stop identifying as an Anglican would probably be a deal breaker for many.
Perhaps the Anglicans need to draft their own version of the Union of Brest as a formal petition to Rome.
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 1,180
Orthodox Christian Member
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Orthodox Christian Member
Joined: Dec 2003
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There are a large number of Anglicans who have become Western Rite Orthodox Christians.
They use a modified form of the Anglican Liturgy that was approved by St. Tikhon.
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