New structure for Anglican groups wanting to become Catholic

[demosincebirth]

By Cindy Wooden
Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Benedict XVI has established a special structure for Anglicans who want to be in full communion with the Roman Catholic Church while preserving aspects of their Anglican spiritual and liturgical heritage, said U.S. Cardinal William J. Levada.

Our Lady of the Atonement in San Antonio is the largest Anglican-use Catholic parish in the U.S. Many of its parishioners are former members of the Episcopal Church.

The cardinal, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and former archbishop of San Francisco, said a new apostolic constitution would establish “personal ordinariates” — similar to dioceses — to oversee the pastoral care of those who want to bring elements of their Anglican identity into the Catholic Church with them.

Anglican priests who are married may be ordained Catholic priests, but married Anglican bishops will not be able to function as Catholic bishops in keeping with the long-standing Catholic and Orthodox tradition of ordaining only unmarried clergy as bishops, Cardinal Levada said.

more: http://www.catholicvoiceoakland.org/2009/11-09/inthisissue10.htm

[Lydia Leftcoast]

1. Cardinal Levada!

Ah yes, formerly of Portland.

When he was in Portland, he barred the Oregon Repertory Singers from their customary performance venue of St. Philip Neri Church a few days before their concert when he happened to sit in on a rehearsal and, thanks to his experience in Rome, realized that some of the Italian madrigals they were singing contained double entendre lyrics. (The director and singers had no idea of the puns, nor would most of the audience had noticed.)

[demosincebirth]

2. Whew! I had to look that one up.