Some Anglicans apply to join the Catholic Church {Ecumenical}

Washington Post ^ | 1 Jan 2012 | Michelle Boorstein

[Cronos]

...More than 1,300 Anglicans, including 100 Anglican priests, have applied to be part of the new body, essentially a diocese. Among them are members of St. Luke’s in Bladensburg, which this summer became the first group in the country to convert to Catholicism.

St. Luke’s and Baltimore’s Mount Calvary, which also applied to join, were part of the Episcopal Church, the official wing of American Anglicanism. But most of those joining the new structure are Anglicans who aren’t part of the Episcopal Church.

It’s unclear how many priests and their followers will ultimately convert to Catholicism. Compared with the tens of millions of Americans who identify as Catholic or Protestant, the movement is small. But it is the most tangible progress in decades for Catholic leaders, who see Catholics and Protestants as estranged siblings who should be reconciled.

“It’s the largest reunification effort in 500 years,” ..

..More details will be made public Monday, but Gibbs said most of the Anglicans who expressed interest were not leaving the Episcopal Church. Most are members of offshoot Anglican groups, many of which have grown since the Episcopal Church ordained an openly gay bishop about a decade ago.

Tens of thousands have left the Episcopal Church since then for breakaway groups.

But people in both movements — Anglo-Catholics and Episcopal breakaway groups — tend to voice similar concerns about the liberal direction of the Episcopal Church. They mention the ordination and marrying of gays and lesbians; the ordination of women; and leaders who view the Bible as metaphor, not fact.

...One of the Episcopal Church’s longtime liaisons with other faiths, including the Catholic Church, said the Vatican could have consulted more with Episcopal leaders before announcing the changes.

“If this papacy sees this as the only way to dialogue with other religions, that’s troubling,” said the Very Rev. Thomas Ferguson,

[Cronos]

“If this papacy sees this as the only way to dialogue with other religions, that’s troubling,” said the Very Rev. Thomas Ferguson,

Sorry Rev, but this was after a lot of petitions from people who despaired of the direction that the ECUSA was taking.

The good thing is that these are conservatives -- they come and enrich the Catholic Church. you ECUSA types can keep the liberals -- and we'll trade you our libtards too, how's that?

[verga]

Sorry Rev, but this was after a lot of petitions from people who despaired of the direction that the ECUSA was taking. The good thing is that these are conservatives -- they come and enrich the Catholic Church. you ECUSA types can keep the liberals -- and we'll trade you our libtards too, how's that?

I would be willing to give them Cuomo, Pelousy, Kerry, as well as the rest of the Kennedy clan, for a future draft choice.

[Rappini]

This should hack off the kid in the White House.

[Cronos]

I think that’s only fair — they can have Cuomo, Kennedy etc, we’ll even pay ‘em to take them...

[Salvation]

All I can say to these Anglicans is “WELCOME HOME!”