Vatican Regret at Anglican Vote to Ordain Female Bishops

(8 July 08 - RV) The Vatican Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity issued a Statement Tuesday regarding recent events within the Anglican Communion.

The Council is headed by Cardinal Walter Kasper. The statement reads:
 “We have regretfully learned of the Church of England vote to pave the way for the introduction of legislation which will lead to the ordaining of women to the Episcopacy.

The Catholic position on the issue was clearly expressed by Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II. Such a decision signifies a breaking away from the apostolic tradition maintained by all of the Churches since the first millennium, and therefore is a further obstacle for the reconciliation between the Catholic Church and the Church of England.

This decision will have consequences on the future of dialogue, which had up until now born fruit, as Cardinal Kasper had clearly explained when he spoke on June 5 2006 to all of the bishops of the Church of England at the invitation of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
The Cardinal has been invited once again to express the Catholic position at the next Lambeth Conference at the end of July”.
 This week the Church of England's ruling General Synod voted to consecrate women as bishops and approved a code of practice.

The synod members voted to approve work on a national statutory code to accommodate those within the Church who object to women bishops.
The synod rejected compromise proposals for new "super bishops" to cater for objectors - and also their preferred option of creating new dioceses.

The decision to go ahead with work on the code came after more than six hours of debate by the General Synod.

Some 1,300 clergy had threatened to leave the Church if safeguards were not agreed to reassure objectors.