Following the announcement of the provision for Personal Ordinariates for Anglicans wishing to come into communion with the Catholic Church, the blog for the cause of Newman's canonisation offers a topical reflection on Newman's perspective, especially on a proposal to the Holy See by Ambrose Phillipps de Lisle.Newman saw some difficulties in the scheme. He said:
The Roman priests would be complaining that the rich splendid Anglican Church in their mission was drawing away at least the young generationSome days later, Newman wrote more positively:
Nothing will rejoice me more than to find that the Holy See considers it safe and promising to sanction some such plan as the Pamphlet suggests. I give my best prayers, such as they are, that some means of drawing to us so many good people, who are now shivering at our gates, may be discovered.It is well worth reading the whole article. See: Benedict XVI and Anglican Converts: Newman’s Perspective
3 comments:
Having actually seen letters from Newman too de Lisle I would like to point out that a) Newman was totally opposed to de Lisle initiative and b) Newman had little but total vitriol for the poor man. Indeed, having read the letters one cannot be left feeling that the man was even very nice. Now, 150 years later, Newman's acolytes are trying to hijack de Lisle's initiative. Absurd.
My personal view is that any solution that brings these people back into the catholic church is welcome. I have found the Anglican derived catholic, Priest or ordinary person in the pew, a breath of fresh air in the church. The church is not easy to regulate itself, both Anglican and Catholic have trouble accepting critics.
We are all here, before the cross of Christ, thence to God. All critics are doing some good, as we try to accept and apply to the politics that shape our history, lets not loose sight of the objective of our creation. We are only passing through this life.
Fear of adverse effects to our rules, yes there is some danger, but we are aware of it, and thus can cope with it, a generation or two's time could sort it'
I've read hundred of the Venerable John Henry Newman's letters -- from 1811 through 1851 now -- and he seems rather nice to me overall. I'll keep an eye out for the 1876 letters.
Phillipps de Lisle’s biographer has said “that the good and faithful occasionally wax hot and turgid over the accessories and attributes of the House of God”*** -- literally in the particular case referred, but I wonder if perhaps the words could also be applied to this situation as well?
***
Life & Letters of Ambrose Phillipps de Lisle \ Edmund Sheridan Purcell, (1900) p. 213
http://www.archive.org/stream/a604884402purcuoft#page/n213/mode/2up
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