Friday, March 12, 2010

Interested in the Pope's Generous Offer?

This ad appeared in this month's edition of The Anglican, our Diocesan Newsletter:

Does this mean that Catholic Newspapers will accept ads from us trying to recruit priests to defect? I find this both amusing and troubling. Amusing that they bothered to print it and imply that there is a quite a group of "interested" persons looking to make the jump. And troubling that the Catholic Church is not just making a provision for those who wish to join them, but is actually trying to recruit people. Talk about sheep stealing! I mean, how else are we supposed to interpret them running an advertisement for priests and laity that want to leave the Anglican church?

Sigh. Of course, this ad was probably not authorized by the hierarchy of the church. More than likely it was the idea of some very zealous lay person. I don't mind such a person swimming the Tiber, I just think it's pretty presumptuous to recruit other to join you!

BTW, I love that they are using a "hushmail" account. It's the sort of e-mail address you might use to have an illicit affair. Yikes.

-t

6 comments:

Daniel said...

I still cannot believe that is for real?! Argh...
I'm pretty open in the sense that I believe there are Christians within many denominations, but I don't believe that any should be openly recruiting from other denominations, especially while they are going through the pains of progression that the Anglican Church is presently.
But then there is the flip side, who the heck approved this advertisement?

I can get a little fired up when it comes to stuff like this... :)

movabletype said...

I think it's a lone crank. (I have a theory about who it is, based on syntax and other issues, but will hold my peace.)

I don't think the RC Archdiocese would be crass enough to place an ad like this, but if they were they'd do it more openly. Also, classified ads like this haven't been an effective marketing strategy for years, as newspapers have found to their sorrow.

Fr. Aaron Orear said...

My fear, self-interested as I am, is that people will assume this is the SCP...which, for anyone reading, it is most definitely not.

Marion said...

I doubt that the ad was placed by a Roman Catholic group or individual. I suspect it was instigated by a disenchanted Anglican individual who has had one foot in the R.C. Church prior to the papal invitation.

Tay Moss said...

Agreed, I'm sure it's a lone (Anglican) crank....

-t

G said...

I thought it was very even-handed of them to run the advert, even if the RCs would not reciprocate the favour if the tables were turned. That's just how nice we are. I don't think the Pope's offer is really sheep-stealing as the impetus came from the "Groups of Anglicans" themselves, who are already outside of our communion.

I also can't imagine that anyone would attribute it to the SCP, who are pretty clear about their stance on women.

Former Roman Catholics like myself who wish to embrace the doctrinal fudginess of Anglicanism while retaining certain elements of our Roman Rite patrimony have, of course, done so for generations.

I may not join whatever parish is erected here but I'll certainly visit. And I'm sorry that I will no longer be able to communicate at the Cathedral of the Annunciation, where I like to attend Mass when in Ottawa. Both the liturgy and the people are delightful.