With the news that there's a new Ordinariate (See article below) in the making, there's no small amount of skepticism in the air, and that is certainly felt in the coming formation of SSWSH (Society of Saint Wilfrid and Saint Hilda. The following coverage of the new establishment, which is meant as a kind of reserveration within the Anglican Communion which will appease the consciences of those Anglicans who:
1) Want to Object to the ordination of women.
2) Favor solemnity in their worship
3) Object to the Dogma of Papal Primacy
4) Don't want to lose their living (stipends) doing any of the above, even if they are inclined to Papal Primacy and Catholicism.
The page at "Thinking Anglicans" takes umbrage at their moral objections on grounds that are obscure, but they insist that one of the Society's namesakes, St. Hilda, was put in charge of men herself, although she couldn't have said Mass. Sorry.
It is important to remember at this point that Damian Thompson is presiding over the funeral of Archbishop Rowan's authority. Whatever you think of it, SSWSH, or Swish!!!, as it's called by some of it's detractors, the conference they've recently held had over 600 priest participants. This is nothing to sneeze at, whatever their motivations, they are at least concerned enough about the future of the Church of England to do something, anything, to maintain their integrity with the slightest amount of personal pain to themselves and their wives and children.
Too bad they abandoned clerical celibacy! It might have made this transition so much easier. In the meantime, the English people are completely disinterested in their established church as membership has declined to 33% according to one survey. Can it be that those who control the land, the churches and schools of the Church of England can be so out of touch to suppose that further accommodating themselves to the spirit of the age, that they will overturn this trend? At least SSWSH seems to understand that much.
Sounds like a good opportunity for the Western Rite Orthodox to step forward and help these people out.
ReplyDeleteThese people want to make sure that their families are taken care of before they do anything to keep the consciences clear, this is why they're creating this organization, which is from what we hear, not going to work.
ReplyDeleteIf the Catholic Church with its enormous presence in England couldn't accommodate them all, the vestigial Orthodox presence in England isn't going to be much help.
If they could migrate with their parishes and physical plant intact, it might be another story, but the Anglican Communion isn't about to let go of the fabulously beautiful historical buildings.