Monday, October 25, 2010

Realignment, Anglican-style has its own way of being diverse

To speak of realignment in the Anglican Communion can mean Anglicans lining up this way and not that way (e.g. leaving TEC for ACNA), or an emergent new Anglican 'baby' from the rubble of a disintegrating Communion (cf. posts below re recent ++Orombi pronouncement). But it can also mean Anglicans realigning with something else, most likely Rome, but can we rule out Constantinople or Geneva?

Here is a parish aligning with Rome tout simple, that is, ignoring the Ordinariate invitation, as reported by Stand Firm:

"Mount Calvary voted on two resolutions today at a special meeting following 10:00 Mass:


1) That Mt. Calvary Church separate itself from The Episcopal Church, and

2) That Mt. Calvary Church seek admission to the Roman Catholic Church as an Anglican Use parish.

Both resolutions passed by majorities of almost 85%.

The ballots were counted by two disinterested outsiders: Dr. Daniel Page (a friend of many parishioners who lives nearby) and Sister Mary Joan of the All Saints' Sisters of the Poor.

The ballots were counted in the presence of the Rev. Scott Slater, Canon to the Ordinary of the Diocese of Maryland."

Is this the beginning of the avalanche, or even trickle, or simply a one-off happening?

Perhaps one observation of relevance here is that there is not much news of parishes of other denominations choosing to come over to the Anglican Communion en bloc!

3 comments:

Brother David said...

There is not a lot of difference in Anglican Use and the Ordinariate. In fact I believe that what they will be told by the local Roman Ordinary is that the Ordinariate is how these defections will now be handled. The approved liturgy of the US Anglican Use parishes is what the ordinariates will use. Perhaps the Commonwealth defectors will at least get a version with Anglicized spelling conventions.

It should be interesting as to how the Diocese of Maryland will handle any continuing Episcopal parish and the building. Except for a tiny number of renegade dioceses and bishops, it is the general policy of TEC that members may leave, parishes, buildings, fittings and trust funds do not.

Peter Carrell said...

Hi David,
I had not thought of the possibility that a wish to be 'Roman' but with Anglican Use might be directed to be 'Ordinariate' instead.

Yes, it will be interesting re the buildings etc. Here there should not be the antipathy which a move to ACNA in other cases seems to bring on. I imagine much would depend on whether the 10-15% who did not vote to change organise themselves to continue to use the buildings (or to, say, move onto the nearest Episcopalian parish) ... and whether the new Roman Catholics offer to buy the property or not!

Brother David said...

A few far right bishops have sold the building to the departing congregation. However, I have heard that they let them go for a pittance of the value. The general view of the majority still loyal to TEC is that they are forfeiting TEC's heritage.

This is what has folks in TEC concerned with Mark Lawrence in South Carolina. He appears to be positioning to do just that and TEC leadership is not willing to allow that to occur.