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..