Unity can't be at the cost of truth
The letter from John Burrows ("Catholics are behind the times", Mailbox , January 17), in response to the column by Fr Leon Pereira, shows a failure to grasp the issues involved with the move into the Catholic Church of several former Anglican bishops and laity, and the bishops' ordination as Catholic priests.
There was not a hint of "barely disguised glee"; there was, of course, pleasure at the move, but there was no gloating. The "long journey home" is undeniable: England was solidly Catholic until the Reformation, when other groups split away.
John also misunderstands the issue of women clergy, and also what is meant by the priesthood in the Catholic Church: the power to celebrate Mass and to confect the Blessed Sacrament, and to forgive sin in God's name.
The Church simply states that a woman is not capable of receiving such powers; it has nothing to do with being "behind the times"; such things do not change with fashion. Neither is it anything to do with "women keeping silent in church"; the Catholic Church regards women as the absolute equals of men, yet different – just as a man cannot have a baby.
The issue of women priests in the Anglican Church was, in any case, the culmination of other issues.
This is the week of prayer for Christian unity: diversity in style there is absolute room for, and these converts will almost certainly enrich the culture and life of the Catholic Church in England with their liturgy; but attempts at unity must not – cannot – ever be at the expense of compromising on revealed truth.
I will agree with John that there are some Catholics who disagree with Fr Leon; but in any organisation of any type, there will always be some dissent and for varied reasons. It is the correct teaching of the Church which matters, and on that, Fr Leon is always spot on.
Mark W Jacques, OP, Quorn.
3 Comments
by CLee, near Melton
Monday, January 24 2011, 12:22PM
“There is no chance of the Church of England and the Roman Catholice Church being reunited in the near future.
The R.C. church is unlikely to accept women into thier priesthood any time soon (but it will come, inevitably) and the C. of E. will certainly continue with its acceptance of total equality of women, which can only be a good thing. It will not be long before there are women bishops in the C. of E.
The history of the split is well known and hurt still exists on both sides. The R.C. Church will continue to drag its feet on many issues (including the ordination of women and the use of artificial methods of contraception) because they are acceptable in many parts of the world, but western countries are keen for change, and, with globalisation of education and expectations in these matters, change wioll become inevitable.”
by Paul, Leics
Monday, January 24 2011, 12:21PM
“Religion wouldnt know the truth if it smacked it in the face. Too busy with its head buried in the sand”
by Arden, Braunstone
Monday, January 24 2011, 11:59AM
“"ever be at the expense of compromising on revealed truth"
It is attitudes like that which contributed to the Reformation. It is not about revealed truth, the same claim as extreme Reformed Protestants also, so this is not anti-Roman catholic. . It is about politics and power over ordinary people”