The Catholic Church, in its wisdom, has recognized that the Anglican heritage has something to offer and has put in place the Pastoral Provision of Pope John Paul II for the Anglican Usage of the Roman Rite (this is how I came into the catholic Church). Anglicans that desire the fullness of Tradition, including a Magisterium to declare that some things are just WRONG (what a concept... some acts are intrinsically evil) should embrace the Provision and return to full communion with the Church. They can preserve their heritage and have Sacraments that are guaranteed to be valid. So, my Anglican brethren, talk to your Rector and have the entire parish brought into the Catholic Church!
Tim Brandenburg | 07.01.09 - 3:15 pm | #

Three things:

1) I meant to capitalize "Catholic."

2) I'm not insulting the Anglican view of the validity of their Sacraments, I'm merely relating the Catholic position on that issue.

3) I recogtnize individual Anglican bishops and individual Anglican priests identify certain acts as intrinsically evil (like the Catholic Church). My point is that the Anglican Communion doesn't have a final authority (such as the Magisterium) to prevent wackos like Gene Robinson in ECUSA from espousing positions that are directly contrary to the Bible and Tradition.
Tim Brandenburg | 07.01.09 - 4:18 pm | #

Recently the Church of England, realizing the empty pews, tried to bribe men to attend with the promise of free beer. It was on Father's day. There's a link below.

http://thankheavenforbeer.com/20...beer-is-sinful/
Nathan Watson | Homepage | 07.01.09 - 4:57 pm | #

Free beer? Who says the Anglicans have nothing to offer the Catholic Church? Perhaps we should one-up them and offer a free glass of whiskey (AFTER Mass) *grin*.
Tim Brandenburg | 07.01.09 - 5:18 pm | #

John Richardson is an evangelical and is an unlikely candidate to embrace the Scarlet Whore, if you get my drift. Though, these days, these guys have a higher opinion of Catholics than John Jewel did.

IIRC, All Saints Margaret Street has long had a private wet bar in operation after evensong and benediction. I can't imagine that happening in the United States, given the potential liability over a drunken driving accident.
Disgusted in DC | 07.01.09 - 5:46 pm | #

Tim I think Mark is talking about the so called "Anglican Communion". The Anglican Rite can & should be preserved in the One True Catholic Church under the Pope.
BenYachov(Jim Scott 4th) | 07.01.09 - 5:59 pm | #

I recogtnize individual Anglican bishops and individual Anglican priests identify certain acts as intrinsically evil (like the Catholic Church).

They identify the Catholic Church as an intrinsically evil act?

(Just kidding - I know what you meant)
c matt | 07.01.09 - 6:25 pm | #

Um, we've been offering beer to men for decades. Knights of Columbus Fish Fry, anyone? Trying to rip off our fine traditions once more... It's called "Rum, ROMANISM, and Rebellion" for a reason!
A Random Friar | 07.01.09 - 9:51 pm | #

I think he's being generous with 30 years. The C of E is already finished. It's all over but the crying.

I say, good freaking riddance. Don't let the door slam you on your way out, jerks. Oh, and if you aren't going to be using our churches any more, could we have them back please? Given, it will take us some time to fill them with people again -- we have had our own problems too with secularism -- but that will just give us time to clean your filthy whitewash from the interiors, exposing the beautiful frescoes beneath. Bye, jerkwads!
Sean P. Dailey | Homepage | 07.02.09 - 12:10 am | #

Oh and don't forget we need to take out those statues, paintings and stained glass with the likeness of kings and nobles that replaced the Saints after the Henry's abomination was created.
Giovanni | 07.02.09 - 12:55 am | #

Isn't the Anglican church's approval of sodomy sufficient to keep lots of Englishmen interested?
J Ball | 07.02.09 - 1:03 am | #

Only if it's sodomy with goats.
Sean P. Dailey | Homepage | 07.02.09 - 1:08 am | #

Oh, and if you aren't going to be using our churches any more, could we have them back please? Given, it will take us some time to fill them with people again

There are lots of Polish immigrants and guest workers in England these days. They can fill the churches (the way the Irish used to).
Seamus | 07.02.09 - 9:49 am | #

My, what a lovely display of Christian kindness I see in these comments. Makes me want to run out and join the Catholic Church immediately.
Anne | 07.02.09 - 11:13 am | #

I would love to see the english Catholic church get its cathedrals back at the very least.
Br. Bruno | 07.02.09 - 11:36 am | #

"Not so fast my friend", as Lee Corso says. There are still some faithful, orthodox Anglicans. They recently formed the new Anglican Church in North America. ACNA is under assault by TEC as the latter attempts to hold on to the property of the seceding ACNA congregations.
Larry | 07.02.09 - 11:40 am | #

Anne, I was thinking the same thing. The Church recognizes a very special relationship w/ the Anglican Communion and it is the will of the Holy Spirit that reunification take place. It will certainly not take place with sodomy jokes.

Larry, My problem w/ ACNA and the other conservative offshoots is that they are typically more Protestant in doctrine. There are some Anglo-Catholic parishes (I came from one), but the majority of the dissenters tend toward evangelical fundamentalism. The odds of reunification with these groups is slim, as many reject core teachings of the Catholic Church (transubstantiation, purgatory, Communion of Saints, Immaculate Conception, Assumption of Mary, perpetual virginity of Mary, etc.).
Tim Brandenburg | 07.02.09 - 12:02 pm | #

Hey Sean,

Quit being so circumspect. Please open up and tell us what you really think.
George Lower | Homepage | 07.02.09 - 2:27 pm | #

man oh man.

Isn't this really a not so good thing? It would be one thing if C of E was in decline because they were all becoming Catholic, but they are not doing that. They're (generally speaking) just losing all faith in God whatsoever. Yes, Henry was a terrible person and all of the Prot. revolts this was the least legit (in terms of having any sort of justification), BUT it is kind of like our GOP or the dems just rotting away into nothing and the people becoming simply apathetic and not voting. (ok its a bad comparison but its the best I can do!)

Barring a return with Rome that brings its own good stuff to the Faith, the death of another Church really is a bad thing overall. Gone is the since that one needs God and all one really needs is a pint and a good job. and that is not the type of world any of us should want!

pax
Dale | 07.02.09 - 9:13 pm | #

Sure Dale but how many tears would you like me to shed for the Aryans, Donatists and Peleguians?

I will pray for those people to find their way home safe to the Christ's Holy Church. But I could not shed a tear for the church of Tudor.
Giovanni | 07.03.09 - 12:49 am | #

"...it is the will of the Holy Spirit that reunification take place. It will certainly not take place with sodomy jokes."

You're slightly missing the target. The obstruction to reunification isn't jokes about sodomy, it's the Anglican approval of sodomy.
J Ball | 07.03.09 - 6:42 am | #

Giovanni

I think the beast in hell adheres to the belief that the enemy of my enemies is my friend, but we as Catholics should not hold a hope that our "enemy" of the Anglican community should be wiped out because what then happens to the followers of that faith? Do they become Calvinists? Do they become Muslims or do they just lose faith and look at life as the here and now and grab a pint and look out for #1 only?

pax
Dale | 07.03.09 - 12:03 pm | #

Dale,

It's not that the collapse of Anglicanism is good or bad; it's that it was inevitable.

The Established Church was established by the English State in more ways than one, and the effects of this are showing badly right now. When the Magisterium of the Church of England (which is the House of Commons, at the moment) has essentially lost interest in it, what does anybody expect? The guys who would have to make the fixes chiefly want the Church to not be a bother. Corporately, they don't even have any idea of what the Church succeeding would mean, past "we don't need to waste time debating Church Bills."
Ed the Roman | 07.03.09 - 1:38 pm | #

Ed,

Maybe my point isn't being made in a coherent fashion (I've usually had a few glasses of wine when I blog LOL)

My point is that the soon to be gone Anglican faith really isn't a good thing because an alternative to this faith is NOT being seized by the people of England. I believe that church attendance among Catholics is higher in England then it is among Anglicans. That would be okay if the Anglicans were becoming Catholic, but they are not doing doing so. (unless maybe you count Tony Blair)

speaking of which, didn't England make gay marriage legal under Blair and haven't the abortion laws remained basically the same? Why then, did the Catholic church in England admit Blair into the faith under such conditions?

maybe those bishops know a little bit more about the faith then I do....
Dale | 07.04.09 - 10:08 pm | #

"...didn't England make gay marriage legal under Blair and haven't the abortion laws remained basically the same? Why then, did the Catholic church in England admit Blair into the faith under such conditions?"
--Dale 07.04.09 - 10:08 pm

Because the Church Jesus founded has His gift of the Sacrament of Reconciliation and through it former PM Blair availed himself of Christ's mercy, that's why.

Any other questions?
Micha Elyi | Homepage | 07.06.09 - 3:49 am | #

Micha Elyi

Yes, I've got a few other questions for you: When did Blair renounce any of the things that he did as Prime Minister? Maybe he did, but I'm not aware of it.

My point is as follows: If a Catholic from the left does something that the readers of this blog object to, they are lambasted as not real Catholics and are scorned and mocked. Although Mark does not do this, many who write on this blog seem to feel that if a conservative (or someone that they like such as Blair) does anything wrong (like gay marriage or pro choice stuff) it is not a big deal and so what, he can go to confession. Is Nancy Pelosi ever given that benefit?
Dale | 07.06.09 - 7:41 pm | #