My great & good friend, Jeff Duntemann yesterday
noted three issues which he feels will interfere with the success of the recently announced Anglican --> Roman Anschluss: Contraception; Divorce; and Married Bishops.
I beg to disagree.
First: Contraception.
Cradle Catholics overwhelmingly ignore Roman fulminations about contraception, The single most damaging mistake made by any pope in the last two Millennia was Paul VI's issuance of "Humanae Vitae" -- respect for the institution of the Papacy took a nosedive, from which it is only now beginning to recover.
Some Roman laity are very careful to observe its requirements, and equally vehement in defending it. I have no reason to think that Anglo-Catholics will be any different. I see the issue as a thorn in the paw, but not a deal-breaker.
Second: Divorce
As Jeff notes, Rome -- unlike the Orthodox -- is totally intransigent on the subject of divorce. I find it hard to imagine, however, that any but the most blue-nosed of Anglo-Catholic clergy would coldly excommunicate re-married couples and their families, even under blue-nosed Roman pressure.
Cradle Catholics have a "Yes, Father" reflex -- when the clergy go on a rant, they turn their ears off, and say "Yes, Father" every time he pauses for breath, and go on about their business. Traditionally, Anglicans had a similar reflex -- smiling vaguely, and letting their eyes go out of focus, so as to be polite to the Vicar.
It may be, too, that the Witness of the Anglican Rite Catholics to the Christian and loving way to treat the tragedy of divorce and the real leap of hope in remarriage may penetrate the testa dura intransigence of the Romans.
I see this as a larger thorn, but again, not a deal-breaker.
Third: Married Bishops
I feel this is the least troubling of the three issues. Rome can finess the whole issue with existing married bishops by creating/resuscitating intermediate ranks like Archimandrite, Arch-priest, or Dean to allow Tiber-swimming Anglican Bishops to continue their roles of guidance and overseeing of Anglican parishes and provinces while being seen sacramentally as priests, not bishops. Some of the language of the news reports of the Anschluss hint at this -- given the general incompetence of most reporters in dealing with Vatican pronouncements, however, I await the publication of the official text.
I expect that at the Conclave after next, one of the issues on the table for the Pope after Papa Ratzi's successor will be abolishing clerical celibacy (long overdue). I think that the Witness of the Anglo-Catholics taken in by Rome in this Anschluss may be a tipping point, to where the future Pope can assure his election by pointing and saying: "Fratelli mio -- Ecce -- married clergy works -- observe our Anglo-Catholics!"
In the meantime, there are the occasional unmarried Anglican priests, and Anglo-Catholic/Anglican Rite seminarians can make the choice -- as Orthodox and Roman seminarians do now.
We live in interesting times.
+Sam'l B.
