Vatican Official Says Celibate Clergy Will Be In Anglican Ordinariate Future

Update- New post at Interview With Pontifical Council for Christian Unity Official Upsets Some in Anglican Ordinariates


Vatican Insider has a interesting interview at The difficult dialogue between the Catholic and Anglican . The interview is with Father Mark Langham who appears to be handling Anglican matters at the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity .

Now what must excuse Father Langham if he appears to sound like Mr Debbie Downer about the Ordinariate. As he makes clear:

First of all, explains Monsignor Langham, "Ordinariates are not a task of this office, we take care of ecumenism. And, as the Vatican said, the road of ecumenism is different from that of conversion”. "But of course - he adds - the ecumenical message has changed a lot with Anglicanroum Coetibus".

So perhaps personally he think this is a great blessing or perhaps it is as to the position he has in the Church "a great headache" now having to deal with these now mistrusting Anglican bodies. Well that can be understandable too.

Regardless his input is interesting and gives us a insight on how things are going. Though again he is not with the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith that is running the show.

Let skip too the last part:


And, of course, there is the issue of celibacy. Many Anglican priests who entered the Ordinariate are married with children. The Vatican official uses a personal example: "When I was ordained we were in nine: four have resigned from the priesthood to marry. Seeing this, and seeing that there is a chance for others to marry and be Catholic priests, what will they think? It's very difficult".

Of course, he states, that of married priests in the Ordinariate is "an exception, an answer to a very specific situation, it is not a new way of being Catholic, but there are still many open questions. Maybe we should wait and see how things go. It will be interesting".

For Monsignor Langham, the birth of Ordinariates has also stimulated newthinking about what it means to be truly 'Anglican', especially in England. There,unlike the U.S., most Anglicans who have passed to Rome are already verysimilar to the Roman Catholic for their theology, liturgy and sacraments. "If after the first generation, they cannot marry - Langham asks - What will the Ordinariate consist in? We do not know. "The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has already said that the Ordinariate may "last or be a temporary way to enter the Catholic Church". "This, too, - he concludes - we do not know".

I think that last line is a tad unclear. I am not getting the impression at all that if successful the Ordinariate is too be viewed as some temporary thing. Also I am not under the impression that after a period of time people not be able to enter the Catholic Church through the Ordinariate. That would seem to go against the Misson work and the planting of Churches that the Anglo Catholics are wanting to do.

As many of us have said the Ordinariate will be most attractive we think to Evangelicals and other looking to come into the Church. Further one would think that the Ordinariate would of course be an option for people to become Priest through. If not how do you maintain this Anglican Patrimony.

I do think he talking about that for now married Anglican Priests and others in unique situations will be able to take advantage of non celibacy situation.

That being said this should be a good indication AGAIN that the admission of non celibate clergy to the Ordinariate is not a long term deal. So I would hope that right off the bat the good people of this new structure start fostering vocations among their young people with that in mind. In other words they better not start thinking about that 20 years from now.

In this vein ,I hope that they will be open to other celibate movements that the Holy Spirit might prompt them to do. I see nothing that would prohibits orders of nuns, sisters, brothers etc that would worship the Catholic Faith in the Anglican tradition. In fact I would hope to expect to see that.