Breaking: Vatican welcomes Anglicans into Catholic Church with Apostolic Constitution

Some stories are so big it's hard to know where to begin.

So let's begin with what the Vatican is saying:

"Today’s announcement of the Apostolic Constitution is a response by Pope Benedict XVI to a number of requests over the past few years to the Holy See from groups of Anglicans who wish to enter into full visible communion with the Roman Catholic Church, and are willing to declare that they share a common Catholic faith and accept the Petrine ministry as willed by Christ for his Church.

Pope Benedict XVI has approved, within the Apostolic Constitution, a canonical structure that provides for Personal Ordinariates, which will allow former Anglicans to enter full communion with the Catholic Church while preserving elements of distinctive Anglican spiritual patrimony.

The announcement of this Apostolic Constitution brings to an end a period of uncertainty for such groups who have nurtured hopes of new ways of embracing unity with the Catholic Church. It will now be up to those who have made requests to the Holy See to respond to the Apostolic Constitution." (VIS)

UK Telegraph reporter Damian Thompson (and "British Papist") is the man to read at this hour:

This is astonishing news. Pope Benedict XVI has created an entirely new Church structure for disaffected Anglicans that will allow them to worship together – using elements of Anglican liturgy – under the pastoral supervision of their own specially appointed bishop or senior priest.

The Pope is now offering Anglicans worldwide “corporate reunion” on terms that will delight Anglo-Catholics. In theory, they can have their own married priests, parishes and bishops – and they will be free of liturgical interference by liberal Catholic bishops who are unsympathetic to their conservative stance.

There is even the possibility that married Anglican laymen could be accepted for ordination on a case-by-case basis – a remarkable concession.

.... This is a decision of supreme boldness and generosity by Pope Benedict XVI, comparable to his liberation of the Traditional Latin Mass. The implications of this announcement will take a long time to sink in, but I suspect that this will be a day of rejoicing for conservative Anglo-Catholics and their Roman Catholic friends all over the world.

Also to read at this early stage: Deacon Keith Fournier (for more implications of this decision) and BBC News (to get an early sense for how the British press views this move). I will be updating this post as time permits today.

*At this time the text of the Apostolic Constitution is not available online.*

More....

• Damian Thompson: Archbishop of Canterbury criticises Rome for springing this announcement on him
• Fr. Z. Commentary on Note of the CDF about personal ordinariates for Anglicans entering the Catholic Church
• John Allen: Vatican reveals plan to welcome disaffected Anglicans
• Associated Press: Pope Approves Plan to Bring Anglicans Into the Fold
• Catholic News Service: Pope establishes structure for Anglicans uniting with Rome
• The Anchoress is following the story closely, and I'm pleased to see she is mindful of the huge implications of this move for more traditional Anglicans in Africa
• New York Times: Pope Approves Plan to Allow Anglicans Into the Fold
• [You have to laugh at National Catholic Reporter's take: "Pope okays new structures to absorb disgruntled Anglican conservatives"]

More #2....

• Canon Lawyer Ed Peters: First thoughts on an Anglican ordinariate
• AmP follow-up: Anglo-Vatican announcement has important American/African dimension

Breaking: Pope lifts excommunications of Lefebvrite bishops

CNS:

Pope Benedict XVI has lifted the excommunication of four bishops ordained against papal orders in 1988 by the late Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. The move was considered a major concession to the archbishop's traditionalist followers.

The Vatican said the decree removing the excommunication, signed Jan. 21 and made public three days later, marked an important step toward full communion with the Society of St. Pius X, founded by Archbishop Lefebvre in 1970.

It said some questions remain unresolved with the society, including its future status and that of its priests, and that these issues would be the subject of further talks.

The entire CNS article is worth the read. See also:

• CNA: Pope Benedict lifts excommunication of Bishops ordained by Lefebvre
• UK Telegraph: Bishop Fellay salutes 'benevolent and courageous' Pope Benedict
• UK Holy Smoke blog: Pope Benedict is taking a huge risk in lifting the SSPX excommunications
• Associated Press

Thoughts?

update: an initial reaction from an informed canonical source.

Pope Meets with Head of Anglican Communion, Lambeth on the minutes

Today Pope Benedict held a private meeting with Dr. Rowan Williams (see a picture here), and Vatican Radio snagged a quick pre-interview:

Dr Williams is in Rome this week for the 7th 'Building Bridges' seminar of Christian and Muslim scholars to be held this year at the English college retreat house 'Palazzola' overlooking Lake Albano in the Roman Hills.

On his way to the Vatican he told Philippa Hitchen what he hoped to discuss the Pope:

"Well it’ll be a fairly informal and low key meeting: I hope to bring him up to date on our plans about the Lambeth conference, perhaps to discuss with him a little what’s going to be happening at the conference this week at Palazzola and just touch base with him about China, the initiatives we’re involved in with regard to the churches in China.

... The full length interview with Dr. Williams is available on our English Feature Programme.

Lambeth, eh?

Tony Blair takes the papist plunge as questions remain

The primary question being whether or not he has also recanted his opposing views on abortion, etc:

• CNS: Ex-British Prime Minister Tony Blair received into Catholic Church
• CWNews: Blair Converts; Catholicism now England's top faith
• CNA: Tony Blair received into Catholic Church, Vatican welcomes him with respect
• CNA: Practicing Catholics now outnumber Anglicans in the UK
  

"Vatican-Orthodox commission agrees on primacy of Pope; differ on significance"

A joint commission working to heal the 1,000-year split between the Catholic and Orthodox churches has agreed the Pope has primacy over all bishops but disagrees over just what that authority permits him to do.

The Joint International Commission for the Theological Dialogue reached the agreement during talks last month in Ravenna, Italy, according to a document being published Thursday.

The Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches were united until the Great Schism of 1054, which was precipitated largely by disagreements over the primacy of the Pope. [-Canadian Press]

Significant?

Tony Blair to get himself "Poped" post-haste?

The UK Daily Mail claims so and it seems reasonable enough to me (i.e., only a matter of time anyway).

"Traditional Anglican Communion - Now Officially Seeking Reunion With Rome"

Matthew of the Whappsters has the details and analysis. Dare we hope?

3rd Episcopal Bishop Crosses the Tiber

Amy reports.

Video (+commentary): "Christian extremists disrupt Hindu Senate invocation"

A Hindu gave the opening prayer at today's Senate session, which is a first, but not without three Christians vocally protesting.

WorldNetDaily has a report.

Rajan Zed, the hindu chaplain, was invited by Democrat Harry Reid (a Mormon). There are no hindus serving in Congress.

The AP report closed with a quotation from Harry Reid:

"I think it speaks well of our country that someone representing the faith of about a billion people comes here and can speak in communication with our heavenly father regarding peace," he [Reid] said after the disruption."

I doubt that even Zed would agree that he was praying to the same "heavenly father" as Christians confess. I guess it's not as surprising that Reid would think so, however, because of the functional polytheism of Mormonism (?).

Here is a YouTube video of the prayer & protest:

Here is the text of Zed's prayer:

Let us pray. We meditate on the transcendental Glory of the Deity Supreme, who is inside the heart of the Earth, inside the life of the sky, and inside the soul of the Heaven. May He stimulate and illuminate our minds.

Lead us from the unreal to the real, from darkness to light, and from death to immortality. May we be protected together. May we be nourished together. May we work together with great vigor. May our study be enlightening. May no obstacle arise between us.

May the Senators strive constantly to serve the welfare of the world, performing their duties with the welfare of others always in mind, because by devotion to selfless work one attains the supreme goal of life. May they work carefully and wisely, guided by compassion and without thought for themselves.

United your resolve, united your hearts, may your spirits be as one, that you may long dwell in unity and concord.

Peace, peace, peace be unto all. Lord, we ask You to comfort the family of former First Lady, Lady Bird Johnson. Amen.

Organizations such as the AFA have been circulating petitions to protest this invitation, primarily because , they claim, it flies in the face of the American motto "One Nation under God."

So, here's the question: is this a legitimate expression of religious freedom or an abdication from the USA's founding and constitution as a Christian nation "Under God", etc., etc.?

Update: LifeSiteNews adds more to this story:

Former navy chaplain Gordon James Klingenschmitt requested two days ago that he be allowed to lead the prayer using 'in Jesus name," but he was turned down by both Senator Reid and Senator Clinton's offices, The American Daily reports. Klingenschmitt is a former navy officer who was court-marshaled for praying 'in the name of Jesus.' His case eventually led to a change in a U.S. law, rescinding a ban on "sectarian" prayer.

Klingenschmitt told LifeSiteNews.com, "I think it's hypocrisy when Senators claim diversity, but they exclude chaplains who pray 'in Jesus name'. At the same time, they welcome a Hindu chaplain to pray on the floor of the Senate."

Reactions to/Commentaries on the CDF's Clarification Document

Following quickly on the heels of the Motu Proprio, the document released today by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith is receiving a great deal of attention. It is entitled "Responses to Some Questions Regarding Certain Aspects of the Doctrine on the Church" and is, in large part, a follow-up to the 2000 document Dominus Iesus, and deals with the identity of the Catholic Church, and with the relation of the Catholic Church to the oriental Churches separated from Rome and to the Protestant ecclesial Communities.

In an atmosphere of (mostly problematic) reporting and press, it is doubly important to understand what the document truly does and does not say.

First off, the official text is available here and is a very straightforward read.

Second, an accompanying "observation" text has been published by the CDF in Italian here. I am currently looking for a reliable English translation. Update: Sandro Magister has included his translation of this accompanying text here (scroll down to where it says "Commentary...").

Now, the Catholic reporting agencies on this document:

• AsiaNews: Only the Catholic Church is the true “Church of Christ”
• CNA: CDF explains Vatican II teaching on the Church in relation to other Christian churches
• CNS: Catholic Church alone is one, true, apostolate church, says Vatican doctrine congregation & Vatican doctrine congregation reaffirms truth, oneness, fullness of Catholic Church
• CWNews: New Vatican document affirms centrality of Catholic Church

As far as commentary from St. Blog's, I enjoyed Mark Shea's succinct, down-to-earth account of the situation.

Update: As far as reprehensibly-bad headlines go, "Pope: Only Catholics Have 'Means Of Salvation'" is winning the race thus far.

What happens when you try to offend no one? You offend everyone.

Consider:

Row over women cancels Muslim-Christian clergy soccer match

An argument over the participation of women in a football match between Muslim and Christian clergy in Norway has led to the cancellation of the "friendly" encounter.

The BBC reports that Muslim Imams had refused to play against women because it went against their beliefs about close physical contact with the opposite sex.

But when the church decided to drop its women players, the priests' team captain walked out in protest.

The game was meant to be an enjoyable end to a day-long conference in Oslo.

[More craziness.]

Soccer, women clergy and Imams. Oh my. Only in Oslo, I guess.