Ruth Gledhill Weblog: Pope to throw open the 'Flaminian Gate' to Anglicans

According to a comment on Titusonenine, the Pope will this week receive on his desk a document that proposes something akin to an Opus Dei-style personal prelature for disgruntled Anglicans of a Catholic bent. This would allow them to be received into the Catholic Church but retain their Anglican identity, with presumably their (or should I say our?) own priests going with them too. William Tighe, who touts this possibility, which is also being debated on ShipofFools, says nothing will be published officially before January. But putting it up here, right now, might liven things up a little in Leeds tonight and tomorrow. It might also give Jonathan Petre and me something to gossip about when we set off for Rome with the Archbishop of Canterbury next week. More news from Rome today is a meeting on the vexed question of priestly celibacy, sparked by the rebel Milingo. The Pope is calling advisers together in the Vatican to decide how to respond after the "married" (in a Unification church ceremony) African "Archbishop" (now excommunicated) ordained some married priests the other day, effectively forming a schismatic Catholic Church. The Pope hates losing any of his flock, as his efforts to bring back the Lefebvrists indicate.

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