In what is to be viewed as a concialiatory move towards traditional anglicans, the Pope has made their path to Rome, should they choose to be as less 'bumpy' as can be. It would seem that this would not go over too well within the anglican communion, but that is as much a product of their own undoing as anything else. His tory will testify to the effect that at its inception, the Anglican schism was the result of King Henry not being able to be granted a divorce. Consequently, he declared himself head of the Church, and thus splintered Christianity even further. The schism eventually turned into heresy as the rite of ordination was changed, thus the understanding of priesthood almost lost. Anglican 'orders' were declared void by subsequent Popes and the Church of England spiraled into a cluster of subjectivism coupled with and disguised as 'tolerance.' All one has to do, is consider the Episcopalian communion in the United States, where I kid you not, there is a female priest(esse) who converted to Islam and yet still shepherded her congregation. Only last April was she deposed. (The Rev. Ann Holmes Redding..)
Throughout the turmoil, however there have been pockets of 'Anglo-catholics' as they called themselves who have always sought to be faithful to the Church as they saw it. The Mass, during the Oxford movement was a near direct translation of the Extraordinary form of Mass used today in the Roman rite. These people will now be able to keep their distinctive forms and rites(including married clergy) while being free from the non-sense that has polluted their communion for too long, such as openly gay clergy and women's ordination. These faithful will forever now be able to purge three words from their memory, John Shelby Spong!
To conclude, this was a testament to true ecumenical dialogue as a conclusion was presented. One can easily see the work of the Holy Spirit as opposed to the lowest common denominator ecumenism practised by most parishes with priests ordained during the 'Spirit of Vatican II.'
That they all may be one.
Peace
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