As we continue to monitor the Holy Father’s initiative to make it easier for Anglicans to convert to Catholicism, the latest news that hundreds of Anglicans in the East London and Essex area of England have recently converted is most encouraging. Here’s the coverage of the story in England’s Daily Telegraph:
Daily Telegraph: “Seven Anglican priests and 300 parishioners join Catholic church”
From the Telegraph online
24-01-2011
Seven Church of England priests and 300 members of their congregations are converting to a new section of the Roman Catholic church.
The group, from three parishes in Essex and three in East London, is the biggest so far to announce its move to the Ordinariate, which was set up by the Vatican as a haven for disaffected traditionalist Anglicans who oppose the ordination of women.
Three of the vicars, from Chelmsford, Hockley and Benfleet, will now train to become Catholic deacons under the unprecedented structure, which will allow them to retain parts of their spiritual heritage and may lead to church-sharing.
It is another boost for the Ordinariate, following the high-profile conversion earlier this month of three former Church of England bishops.
The latest “very big move” has been welcomed by the Catholic Bishop of Brentwood, the Rt Rev Thomas McMahon.
He told the BBC: “They relinquish their present post, a very big thing, leaving some of their people which brings heartache, into a fairly unknown future, as this ordinariate has only just been brought up.
“It calls for huge faith and huge trust because the future isn’t that certain.”
The Anglican Bishop of Chelmsford, the Rt Rev Stephen Cottrell, said: “Although I’m sorry these people are going, I do respect their decision.”
But he added that the conversions involve “a small group of people” and insisted: “The Church of England remains the church for everyone.”
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