Thursday, October 22, 2009
Divorce and re-marriage and the Anglican Ordinariate
I`m wondering what will happen in the case of new members of the Anglican ordinariates who are divorced and re-married and in good standing according to their present provisions. There could be quite a lot of new work for our tribunals, or will they have their own tribunals? If so where will they get the canonists? Just a passing thought.
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6 comments:
You are right to raise the issue of possible problems. These two questions were raised yesterday: what will happen to Catholic priests who have left the Church, married and entered the Anglican Ministry and now return under the new arrangement?
What about Archbishop John Hepworth, the Primate of TAC - he is an ex-Catholic priest, married, divorced and re-married and now has three children.
This is a good question. There are rumours flying around that the "Anglican Ordinariate" will be able to keep their own identity on a large number of matters.
Clerical celibacy is obviously out (but, bizarrely, not for bishops).
There is no obligation to use the Roman Rite (either traditional or Novus Ordo).
But the rumours are that they will be allowed to keep their own marriage discipline (ie remarriage of divorcees).
And that they will be able to keep their own tradition on contraception (so no signing up to Humanae Vitae).
I can`t see the ordinariate getting an exemption for divorce and remarriage nor from Humanae Vitae. The tradition in East and West is that bishops are celibate. I just wonder if the priests are allowed to marry where they will get celibate bishops from unless they have monasteries or other religious institutes.
"Archbishop John Hepworth, the Primate of TAC - he is an ex-Catholic priest, married, divorced and re-married and now has three children."
Ouch!
The ones who like marriage so much that they've tried it twice are the least of our worries.
Nothing wrong with marriage, divorce, and remarriage ... it's why it is done. No-one should be hurt in the process.
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