LEADERSHIP 101

from Midwest Conservative Journal by The Editor

Two things, Dr. Williams. Ain’t nothin’ permanent in this world. And bold actions sometimes bring about bold results:

Bishop John Broadhurst, Bishop of Fulham in the Anglican diocese of London, is to resign his post later this year to join the Pope’s Ordinariate. The Catholic Herald’s Anna Arco broke the story, also revealing that Bishop Broadhurst will stay as chairman of Forward in Faith, which he says is “not an Anglican organisation”. Really? I think he must mean that it is no longer an Anglican organisation. In which case, traditional Anglo-Catholicism is undergoing a major shift (or crisis) of allegiance, because FiF, though not representative of everyone in that constituency, was the main body for Anglo-Catholics in the Church of England opposed to women bishops and priests. Now it seems to be heading towards Roman Catholicism.

Bishop Broadhurst made his announcement at Forward in Faith’s national assembly in London today. I’m told that the mood was very sympathetic towards the Ordinariate scheme. If its chairman, together with the flying bishops of Ebbsfleet and Richborough, are joining the Roman Ordinariate, then you can see why FiF members who want to stay in the C of E suddenly needed a new body – the Society of St Wilfrid and St Hilda, aka “Hinge & Bracket”, founded this month by “catholic” bishops in the General Synod. For true opponents of women priests this is a desperate last option, because H&B can’t offer any meaningful safeguards from women’s ministry. For those many Anglo-Catholics who are prepared to soften their stance, however, it’s a quiet route back into the mainstream of the established Church.

The Ordinariate is picking up momentum. Not only is the chairman of Forward in Faith joining, but so is the president of the Church Union, the Rt Rev Edwin Barnes, retired Bishop of Richborough. So that makes four C of E bishops we know are crossing the Tiber: +John Broadhurst, +Andrew Burnham, +Keith Newton and +Edwin Barnes, and there will be others. Critics of the Ordinariate may scoff at its small size – and I really do think it will be small when it launches early next year – but the fact remains that three out of the four bishops appointed by Synod to minister to traditionalists are joining this new semi-autonomous Catholic body set up by Pope Benedict XVI.

I’ve been sceptical that any Anglo-Catholic parishes will join the Ordinariate en masse. There are so many practical difficulties – but that hasn’t stopped St Peter’s Folkestone from deciding to give it a go. Good for them. Here’s a statement from their PCC, courtesy again of Anna Arco: “At its meeting on September 28th, the PCC of Folkestone St Peter unanimously requested the Churchwardens to approach The Archbishop of Canterbury, our Diocesan Bishop, in order to consult about the wish of the PCC and many of the congregation to join the English Ordinariate of the Catholic Church when it is erected. We are anxious that this should be made as easy as possible, not only for us, but for the diocesan family of Canterbury that we shall regretfully be leaving behind.”

Meanwhile on this side of the big-ass crick.

An Anglo-Catholic parish in the Diocese of Maryland is within weeks of becoming the first Episcopal congregation to accept the Vatican’s invitation, through Anglicanorum coetibus, to become a Roman Catholic church.

Mount Calvary Church, Baltimore, has scheduled a vote Oct. 24 on whether to affirm unanimous vestry decisions to leave the Episcopal Church and to become a Roman Catholic parish under the terms ofAnglicanorum coetibus.

You going with ‘em, Chris? At this point, no, not going to happen. The snackeral mappers who regularly comment here who would like me to become a Roman Catholic(and God bless all of them) haven’t, as they say, closed the deal, made the sale or whatever other lame-ass phrase you’d like to use.

Does that mean they’re not going to? I pray God that I’m never arrogant enough to believe that. Damascus Roads, as they say. But to be perfectly honest, I think the Reformation happened for a quite valid reason. If you want to have it out, that’s fine but e-mail me because I’m not debating anybody in the comments.

Here’s the thing, Dr. Williams. This is what leadership involves. Taking an actual stand once in a damned while.