In the end, he threw it at me, which was painful, but useful. I came across some fascinating news about The Church of England. Apparently, all the remaining members - the "Left Behind" - of whom there are only a few, most of the rest having been Taken Up into the Ordinariate, are quaking in their cassocks! Priests, bishops and congregations are upping sticks (or candle-holders) and moving to Rome!
Here I became confused, as the new Head Ordinary (who isn't a bishop, though he can have a mitre and crazies, but more like an Abbot (light, but satisfying if you're in the pub looking for something to cool you down after a long day's metal-detecting)) said that he might let those Left Behind share their old churches with the Taken Up. Very kind and generous, I'm sure, but will all of the Left Behind really want to journey to Italy every Sunday for services in the churches the Take Up have, well, Taken With them?
And what about the flower rotas?
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Use plastic ones!
ReplyDeleteThe Methodist hierarchy have been having 'conversations' with the Anglicans about unity for a generation or so. We hoi polloi hear very little, apart from the odd incomprehensible 'statement'. Unfortunately Conference hasn't voted against the platform since President Forever Methuselah finally expired, so nobody's been asking awkward questions. With a bit of luck, even they will find the left behind sufficiently repellent to give up. Who wants the Pope's leftovers, after all?
ReplyDeleteThe Roman Catholic faithful are going to have to share their churches with those people under the control of Father Newton - which I presume they are ecstatic about?
ReplyDeleteI understand that despite the RC Church proclaiming its success in luring some disenchanted Anglicans across the Tiber, the drain of their congregations fleeing the other way, outweighs the influx by thousands.
This combined with a lack of vocations, an ancient priestly population, means that the new blood will be trying to plug the gaps, not actually enhancing the RC Church.
I noted the provisions in the directive for the new group that Converted Anglican Priests will be able to minister in normal RC Dioceses and that the RC Church is actively seeking paid employment for them - there is no shortage of vacancies. But the stipend is about one third of what they would have received if they had continued with the CofE.
It's not all rosy across the Tiber.
I am sure that the flour rotas will cause more division than any doctrinal issue!
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