VATICAN CITY (CNS): The Vatican has expressed its disappointment with a July 7 decision by the Church of England, the mother church of the Anglican Communion, to move ahead with plans to allow the ordination of women bishops.
“We have learned with disappointment of the news of the vote by the Church of England that opens the way to the introduction of legislation that leads to the ordination of women bishops,” a July 8 statement from the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity said.
The final Church of England legislation that would lead to the ordination of a woman bishop is expected to be about two or three years away from completion.
The July 7 decision made clear that no special structures would be set up for those who object on theological grounds to the ordination of women bishops.
Before the vote, more than 1000 bishops and clergy had expressed their opposition to the ordination of women bishops and made it clear that if special provisions were not made they would have to consider leaving the Church of England.
In 2006, members of the General Synod of the Church of England passed a motion expressing their opinion that ordaining women bishops is consistent with the Anglican faith.
The Vatican’s July 8 statement said that, at the invitation of the spiritual leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion Archbishop Rowan Williams of Canterbury, spiritual leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion, the Vatican’s chief ecumenicist Cardinal Kasper would have an opportunity to speak during the Lambeth Conference being held in England until August 3 “to present the Catholic position” regarding issues causing tension within the Anglican Communion.
The issues include structures for maintaining the unity of the Church, the ordination of women bishops, the ordination of openly gay bishops and the blessing of same-sex unions.
The Lambeth Conference, held every 10 years, brings together most of the world’s Anglican bishops for reflection, prayer and discussions about common concerns.
