With a unanimous vote at a special meeting, an Anglican group in Australia has affirmed its gratitude for Benedict XVI's move to allow them to convert to Catholicism, and is directing its council to make it happen.
The Australia branch of Forward in Faith made this vote Monday, affirming its readiness and desire for an ordinariate to be established Down Under.
Ordinariate is the term established in the Nov. 4, 2009, apostolic constitution "Anglicanorum Coetibus," which allows for groups of Anglicans to enter full communion with the Catholic Church while preserving elements of the distinctive Anglican spiritual and liturgical patrimony.
"We're not really wanted any more [in the Anglican Communion]," he said, "our conscience is not being respected." The Pope's apostolic constitution is an answer to just that type of experience, which many Anglicans have expressed as the Communion moves toward greater approval of homosexual behavior -- including openness to active homosexuals in ordained ministry -- and women bishops.
The Australia branch of Forward in Faith made this vote Monday, affirming its readiness and desire for an ordinariate to be established Down Under.
Ordinariate is the term established in the Nov. 4, 2009, apostolic constitution "Anglicanorum Coetibus," which allows for groups of Anglicans to enter full communion with the Catholic Church while preserving elements of the distinctive Anglican spiritual and liturgical patrimony.
"We're not really wanted any more [in the Anglican Communion]," he said, "our conscience is not being respected." The Pope's apostolic constitution is an answer to just that type of experience, which many Anglicans have expressed as the Communion moves toward greater approval of homosexual behavior -- including openness to active homosexuals in ordained ministry -- and women bishops.
