Letter from Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger to Anglicans opposed to gay bishop

american anglican council ^ | Oct 9, 2003 | +Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger

[churchillbuff]

In 2003, after Episocpalian gay bishop Robinson was elected, a group of concerned Episcopalians and Anglicans met in emergency session, in Texas, to strategize how to respond -- through formally breaking away or other strategies.

They received this letter from Rome:

October 9, 2003

From Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger

The Vatican, on behalf of Pope John Paul II

I hasten to assure you of my heartfelt prayers for all those taking part in this convocation. The significance of your meeting is sensed far beyond Plano, and even in this City from which Saint Augustine of Canterbury was sent to confirm and strengthen the preaching of Christ’s Gospel in England. Nor can I fail to recall that barely 120 years later, Saint Boniface brought that same Christian faith from England to my own forebears in Germany.

The lives of these saints show us how in the Church of Christ there is a unity in truth and a communion of grace which transcend the borders of any nation. With this in mind, I pray in particular that God’s will may be done by all those who seek that unity in the truth, the gift of Christ himself.

With fraternal regards, I remain

Sincerely yours in Christ,

+Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger

[ken5050]

FYI..for the group..

[jacquej]

Am an Anglican by faith, but not a contemporary Episcopalian. Am giving up on the US Episcopal church, and am going to convert to the Roman Catholic church.

Not that big a leap, really.

[FormerACLUmember]

Some Episcopalian priests and their congregations are becoming Catholic. Bishop Gene is so vile and provocative, and cannot keep his hateful propagandizing quiet, that a schism in the Anglican Communion is inevitable, although Ratzinger/Benedict XVI sees opposed to this.

[FormerACLUmember]

Some Episcopalian priests and their congregations are becoming Catholic. Bishop Gene is so vile and provocative, and cannot keep his hateful propagandizing quiet, that a schism in the Anglican Communion is inevitable, although Ratzinger/Benedict XVI seems opposed to this.

[churchillbuff]

a schism in the Anglican Communion is inevitable, although Ratzinger/Benedict XVI sees opposed to this."""

Why do you say that "Ratzinger is opposed to this"?

[longtermmemmory]

I speak legaleze but I confess I must be missing something.

All I get is saying that he is reminding them of the importance of the church, remember the teachings, and good luck.

Nothing specific about homosexuals in the church.

What am I missing?

[Stone Mountain]

I read it a few times but I don't know what he's saying about the issue at hand. Can you break it down? Thanks...

[pbear8]

Welcome to Rome, prayers for you and for all who follow you.

[USArmySpouse]

Beautiful letter. As a former Episcopalean, now Catholic, the more I read about Pope Benedict XVI, the more I love him.

[churchillbuff]

What am I missing? """

The mere fact that he sent an open letter to this "rebel" group in another denomination was itself a big statement.

[Stone Mountain]

I speak legaleze but I confess I must be missing something.

Thanks - I thought it was just me...

[fortunecookie]

Welcome!

[churchillbuff]

see my post # 11. It was a rebuff to the hierarchy of the Episcopal Church, for Ratzinger to formally acknowledge this rebel faction.

[Bosco]

Transubstantiation vs. Consubstantiation. Not a small issue.

[Alkhin]

Try the www.anglicancatholic.org

[Stone Mountain]

Aha - thanks!

[sionnsar]

Thanks to ken5050 for spotting and pinging this.

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Off-topic question to the Traditional Anglican ping list from one of its members: Who attends/recommended the Church of the Resurrection in Tampa, FL for the Traditional Anglican resource Page (in my tagline)? A listmember may be headed down that way soon.

[fish hawk]

I went to Drudge and a couple different threads on the new Pope on F.R. Not one picture of this person anywhere. Doesn't anyone have his picture? I read that he was the leader in Pope John's funeral, someone must have taken his picture.

[traderrob6]

That was my take on it as well.