ITALY: Williams 'regrets but respects' bishops' conversions to Rome
Episcopal News Service. November 19, 2010 [111910-03]
Matthew Davies
Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams said in a Nov. 17 interview with Vatican Radio in Rome that his reaction to the recent decision by five suffragan and assistant bishops in the Church of England to resign and convert to Roman Catholicism was one of "regret and respect."
Meanwhile, on Nov. 19, the Press Association reported that about 50 Anglican priests had also registered their interest in a Vatican proposal that will enable them to convert to the Roman Catholic Church when the appropriate mechanisms have been established.
But Williams told Vatican Radio that "there are still a great many Anglicans in the Church of England who'd call themselves traditionalists, who have no intention of jumping ship, who are in considerable confusion and distress wondering what the Church of England can do for them but they don't think the only option is Rome, so I'd question whether it means the traditional voice has left the Church of England -- I don't think it has."
The recent defections are primarily in response to the Church of England's vote in July to advance plans for women to become bishops, a decision that some traditionalists cannot accept.
In November 2009, the Vatican released Anglicanorum Coetibus, an Apostolic Constitution that outlines provisions whereby former Anglicans can enter full communion with the Roman Catholic Church while preserving elements of Anglican spirituality and liturgy.
The constitution said the Vatican would establish "personal ordinariates" -- a structure expected to be similar to that of a diocese -- for disaffected Anglicans to convert to Roman Catholicism.
On Nov. 19, the Roman Catholic bishops of England and Wales issued a statement saying that they have been preparing to establishment the ordinariate in January 2011.
Williams told Vatican Radio that he doesn't see the ordinariate as an "aggressive act, meant to destabilize the relations of the churches." But, he added, "it remains to be seen just how large a movement we're talking about."
Williams was visiting Rome as one of three speakers at a conference celebrating the 50th anniversary of the founding of a Vatican council to promote Christian unity.
Ecumenical relationships, Williams said in his address, must be strengthened by "the new challenges for unity coming from inside the Christian community, and from outside it."
Speaking with Vatican Radio, Williams said he believes it is "perfectly proper" to think of the goal of ecumenism as "unity in diversity but not a diversity as endless multiplication of institutions. I still think we have to pray for visible sacramental communion, the recognition of ministries, the ability to function intelligibly as one body across the globe."
The Vatican Information Service quoted Pope Benedict XVI as saying: "Today, some people believe that this journey has lost its impetus, especially in the West. Thus do we see the urgent need to revive ecumenical interest and give a fresh incisiveness to dialogue."
The full text of William's interview with Vatican Radio is available here.