Pope Benedict Approves a Special Canonical Structure for Anglican Converts

(20 October 09 –RV) The Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith announced today that Pope Benedict has approved a special canonical structure called a personal ordinariate for groups of Anglicans who wish to convert to the Catholic Church. The new structure will allow converts, including their often married clergy, to enter into full communion with Rome, while preserving elements of their distinctive Anglican spiritual and liturgical patrimony. The announcement was made at a press conference here in the Vatican by the prefect of the CDF, Cardinal William Levada and simultaneously at a joint conference in London by the Archbishop of Westminster Vincent Nichols and the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams. Philippa Hitchen reports..