Liberal churches that have abandoned traditional teachings on homosexuality are suffering from "spiritual Alzheimer's", a senior figure in the Vatican has warned the Lambeth Conference.
Cardinal Ivan Dias also told hundreds of Anglican bishops gathered in Canterbury that churches who take important decisions without the authority of their leaders have "ecclesial Parkinson's".
His outspoken comments will add to the pressure on liberal American and Canadian church leaders who have driven the worldwide Communion to the brink of schism by electing an openly gay bishop and by blessing same-sex unions, in defiance of centuries of tradition and guidelines agreed at the last Lambeth Conference.
They came just hours after the head of the church in Sudan, backed by Primates of 17 provinces in the developing world, demanded that the homosexual bishop of New Hampshire, the Rt Rev Gene Robinson, be sacked and that those who consecrated him "confess".
Cardinal Dias's speech is the latest in a series of critical comments from the Roman Catholic Church about the direction of the Anglican Communion.
Earlier this month the Vatican expressed "regret" that the Church of England's governing body had voted to introduce women bishops, while on the eve of Lambeth another Cardinal warned that the crises gripping Anglicanism "pose a further and grave challenge" to the relationship between the world's two main Christian denominations.
In a speech last night on evangelisation, Cardinal Dias said: "Much is spoken today of diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
"By analogy, their symptoms can, at times, be found even in our own Christian communities.
"For example, when we live myopically in the fleeting present, oblivious of our past heritage and apostolic traditions, we could well be suffering from spiritual Alzheimer's.
"And when we behave in a disorderly manner, going whimsically our own way without any co-ordination with the head or the other members of our community, it could be ecclesial Parkinson's."
One in four of Anglicanism's 880 bishops is boycotting the three-week conference in protest at the liberalising agenda of the Americans and Canadians.
Those present will discuss the aftermath of Bishop Robinson's consecration, which officials admit has led to a "breakdown in trust" between liberals and conservatives which has left the church in "turmoil".
5 comments:
Good to see the new posting, Luis.
CWNews today is also reporting today about the Traditional Anglican Communion (TAC) being received into the Catholic Church. It seems that this group for many years has been attempting to work from inside the Anglican Communion toward reunion with Rome. It now appears they no longer wish to wait and want to incorporate entire Anglican parishes and even dioceses into the Catholic Church. During the early 1990's, Cardinal Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict) helped John Paul II set up Anglican Use parishes here in the states ...many of which are in Texas. These parishes are allowed to use a modified anglican missal with the Catholic Church's approval. I've attended an Angilcan Use Mass, and I must say it was quite beautiful.
I'm waiting with great anticipation to see what the Holy Father will do to help these future Catholics. What wonderful and exciting times we are living in!
Here's a link to a portion of an address given by a priest within the TAC on Christian unity. Enjoy.
P.S.
I'd like to also point out a letter from Cardinal Levada, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith regarding TAC reunion with the Catholic Church.
Thanks Anthony,
I too am hopeful that there will be a reunion. A few months ago, when the news of Tony Blairs conversion came out, I was speaking to a friend and remarked how the whole reason for the Church of England's split with Rome had evaporated. The support of the local political power(king)of the English churches authority has morphed into open hostility to the religious values of Christianity by Parliment. Time for the Anglican's to divorce England and return to Rome.
Thanks for posting, too!
Good morning, Luis.
Catholic.org is reporting some positive news from our Traditional Anglican Communion (TAC) friends. Check out this interview here.
Let us all remember to pray for our brethren and for their union with the Holy Roman Catholic Church.
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