VATICAN CITY, OCT. 20, 2009 (Zenit.org).- A text message sent Monday evening ensured that Vatican correspondents wouldn't miss today's announcement that Benedict XVI is facilitating the process for groups of Anglicans to join the Catholic Church.
The message alerted the journalists to the announcement on the briefing posted in their section on the Vatican's Web page, which didn't go up until the end of the workday Monday.
This is the first time a press conference of this kind has been announced in such a seemingly hurried way.
Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Vatican press office, smiled at the beginning of today's press conference, acknowledging that such an arrangement kept the Vatican a step ahead of the secular media.
In this way, the press office was also able to ward off erroneous interpretations of the move published before the Vatican had spoken -- a case altogether contrary to the uproar in January when the Pope lifted the excommunication of Society of St. Pius X Bishop Richard Williamson, who denies the Holocaust.
The press briefing announcement simply alerted the correspondents that today's conference would address a topic related to relations with the Anglicans and also announced the presence of Archbishop Joseph Di Noia, secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments.
Given the Vatican's announcement, several agencies and newspapers began to publish brief articles, which in general coincided in interpreting this message as the announcement of the entry of numerous Anglicans into the Catholic Church, something that had been expected for more than a year.
However, these sources had no more details on Benedict XVI's imminent apostolic constitution with which he creates personal ordinariates to receive former Anglican faithful.
Hours after the press conference, images of the meeting were published on the Vatican's YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/vatican).
Anglican Archbishop: Our Prayers Have Been Answered
Welcomes Pope's Offer of Personal Ordinariates
BLACKWOOD, South Australia, OCT. 20, 2009 (Zenit.org).- The prayers of Anglicans wishing to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church have been more than answered today, according to the primate of the Traditional Anglican Communion.
Archbishop John Hepworth said this today in a statement that responded to the Vatican announcement that Benedict XVI would allow Anglicans to enter full communion with the Catholic Church while preserving elements of the Anglican spiritual and liturgical tradition.
This policy has been established in a forthcoming apostolic constitution, and it responds to requests from Anglicans who have expressed wishes to become Catholic, particularly as the Anglican Tradition continues to take steps toward opening their priesthood and episcopate to women and active homosexuals, and blessing same-sex unions.
Between 20 and 30 Anglican bishops have made such a request.
The constitution was announced at a press conference at the Vatican today, offered by Cardinal William Levada, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
Hepworth, who also heads the Diocese of Australia in the Anglican Catholic Church in Australia, said that the Traditional Anglican Communion is "profoundly moved by the generosity of the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI."
Dedicated to unity
"He offers in this Apostolic Constitution the means for 'former Anglicans to enter into the fullness of communion with the Catholic Church,'" Hepworth explains. "He hopes that we can 'find in this canonical structure the opportunity to preserve those Anglican traditions precious to us and consistent with the Catholic faith.'
"He then warmly states 'we are happy that these men and women bring with them their particular contributions to our common life of faith.'"
"May I firstly state that this is an act of great goodness on the part of the Holy Father," continued Hepworth. "He has dedicated his pontificate to the cause of unity."
"It more than matches the dreams we dared to include in our petition of two years ago," he added. "It more than matches our prayers.
"In those two years, we have become very conscious of the prayers of our friends in the Catholic Church. Perhaps their prayers dared to ask even more than ours."
The archbishop said he would take the offer of the Holy See to each of the national synods of the Traditional Anglican Communion.
"Now the Holy See challenges us to seek in the specific structures that are now available the "full, visible unity, especially Eucharistic communion," for which we have long prayed and about which we have long dreamed. That process will begin at once," he affirmed.
Noting that the Anglican Office of Morning Prayer included the Hymn of Thanksgiving, the Te Deum, Hepworth added: "It is with heartfelt thanks to Almighty God, the Lord and Source of all peace and unity, that the hymn is on our lips today.
"This is a moment of grace, perhaps even a moment of history, not because the past is undone, but because the past is transformed."
Archbishop John Hepworth said this today in a statement that responded to the Vatican announcement that Benedict XVI would allow Anglicans to enter full communion with the Catholic Church while preserving elements of the Anglican spiritual and liturgical tradition.
This policy has been established in a forthcoming apostolic constitution, and it responds to requests from Anglicans who have expressed wishes to become Catholic, particularly as the Anglican Tradition continues to take steps toward opening their priesthood and episcopate to women and active homosexuals, and blessing same-sex unions.
Between 20 and 30 Anglican bishops have made such a request.
The constitution was announced at a press conference at the Vatican today, offered by Cardinal William Levada, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
Hepworth, who also heads the Diocese of Australia in the Anglican Catholic Church in Australia, said that the Traditional Anglican Communion is "profoundly moved by the generosity of the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI."
Dedicated to unity
"He offers in this Apostolic Constitution the means for 'former Anglicans to enter into the fullness of communion with the Catholic Church,'" Hepworth explains. "He hopes that we can 'find in this canonical structure the opportunity to preserve those Anglican traditions precious to us and consistent with the Catholic faith.'
"He then warmly states 'we are happy that these men and women bring with them their particular contributions to our common life of faith.'"
"May I firstly state that this is an act of great goodness on the part of the Holy Father," continued Hepworth. "He has dedicated his pontificate to the cause of unity."
"It more than matches the dreams we dared to include in our petition of two years ago," he added. "It more than matches our prayers.
"In those two years, we have become very conscious of the prayers of our friends in the Catholic Church. Perhaps their prayers dared to ask even more than ours."
The archbishop said he would take the offer of the Holy See to each of the national synods of the Traditional Anglican Communion.
"Now the Holy See challenges us to seek in the specific structures that are now available the "full, visible unity, especially Eucharistic communion," for which we have long prayed and about which we have long dreamed. That process will begin at once," he affirmed.
Noting that the Anglican Office of Morning Prayer included the Hymn of Thanksgiving, the Te Deum, Hepworth added: "It is with heartfelt thanks to Almighty God, the Lord and Source of all peace and unity, that the hymn is on our lips today.
"This is a moment of grace, perhaps even a moment of history, not because the past is undone, but because the past is transformed."
US Prelates Ready to Welcome Anglicans
Affirm History of Ecumenical Dialogue
WASHINGTON, D.C., OCT. 20, 2009 (Zenit.org).- The president of the U.S. bishops' conference is expressing support for a Vatican statement regarding Anglican groups that desire to enter the Catholic Church.
Cardinal Francis George, archbishop of Chicago, affirmed this in a statement today, after receiving word "of the new provision in the form of an apostolic constitution issued by the Holy See for the reception into full communion with the Catholic Church of groups from the Anglican tradition."
The bishops' conference "stands ready to collaborate in the implementation of that Provision in our country," he stated.
The cardinal explained that "this step by the Holy See is in response to a number of requests received in Rome from groups of Anglicans seeking corporate reunion."
"The application of the new Provision," he continued, "recognizes the desire of some Anglicans (Episcopalians) to live the Catholic faith in full, visible communion with the See of Peter, while at the same time retaining some elements of their traditions of liturgy, spirituality and ecclesial life which are consistent with the Catholic faith."
The prelate affirmed that this Provision, "at the service of the unity of the Church, calls us as well to join our voices to the priestly prayer of Jesus that 'all may be one' (John 17:21) as we seek a greater communion with all our brothers and sisters with whom we share Baptism."
He recalled that the bishops' conference has "engaged in ecumenical dialogue with the Episcopal Church, which is the historic province of the Anglican Communion in North America," for the past 45 years.
Cardinal George continued, "The Catholic bishops of the United States remain committed to seeking deeper unity with the members of the Episcopal Church by means of theological dialogue and collaboration in activities that advance the mission of Christ and the welfare of society."
Cardinal Francis George, archbishop of Chicago, affirmed this in a statement today, after receiving word "of the new provision in the form of an apostolic constitution issued by the Holy See for the reception into full communion with the Catholic Church of groups from the Anglican tradition."
The bishops' conference "stands ready to collaborate in the implementation of that Provision in our country," he stated.
The cardinal explained that "this step by the Holy See is in response to a number of requests received in Rome from groups of Anglicans seeking corporate reunion."
"The application of the new Provision," he continued, "recognizes the desire of some Anglicans (Episcopalians) to live the Catholic faith in full, visible communion with the See of Peter, while at the same time retaining some elements of their traditions of liturgy, spirituality and ecclesial life which are consistent with the Catholic faith."
The prelate affirmed that this Provision, "at the service of the unity of the Church, calls us as well to join our voices to the priestly prayer of Jesus that 'all may be one' (John 17:21) as we seek a greater communion with all our brothers and sisters with whom we share Baptism."
He recalled that the bishops' conference has "engaged in ecumenical dialogue with the Episcopal Church, which is the historic province of the Anglican Communion in North America," for the past 45 years.
Cardinal George continued, "The Catholic bishops of the United States remain committed to seeking deeper unity with the members of the Episcopal Church by means of theological dialogue and collaboration in activities that advance the mission of Christ and the welfare of society."
