With the recent announcement of the recent announcement of the June 15 establishment of the
Personal Ordinariate Our Lady of the Southern Cross for former Anglo-Catholics one could be forgiven for thinking that the bad old days of false indifferentist ecumenism were behind us. Not so, at least in the Diocese of Bathurst under Bishop Michael McKenna (pictured, right).
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| Bishops exchanging goodies after signing the covenant. |
The good bishop in his wisdom has felt it prudent to
sign a "covenant" of sorts with the Anglican diocese of Bathurst under Bishop Robert Hurford (pictured, left). This is similar to the one signed between the Anglican diocese of Newcastle and the Catholic dioceses of Broken Bay and Newcastle, which led to that infamous incident a couple of years ago where the Vatican had to intervene to
prevent a joint confirmation service citing possible "confusing messages" to the faithful (now there's an understatement!).
The faithful may quite rightly ask what benefit is it that his lordship is seeking to get out of the covenant for his flock. He says that “It is a chance to let everyone know the Anglicans and the Catholics are good
friends, with a common belief in Jesus Christ,” but is that really a sufficient reason given the huge risk of exposure to indifferentism and confusion that could come out of this for the poorly catechised laity? Fierce sectarianism really hasn't been all that much of an issue in Australia since the 60's and I don't think that a whole covenant is needed to tell Anglicans and Catholics that they both believe in Jesus Christ.
Bishop McKenna adds that he is "encouraging people to celebrate all that we have in common, rather than our
differences.” I might be wrong but this seems to have indifferentism written all over it. The differences between the Anglican Communion are rather large and not at all insignificant. Bishop McKenna seems to not be acquainted with the old saying that "If you lie with dogs, you wake up with fleas," and what a good many "fleas" his diocese could be waking up with as result of this covenant!
For a start Anglican theology is a mess with different sections of their "Church" believing in completely different things ranging from dour low-church Calvinists to the "smells and bells" high-chuch Anglo-Catholics (some of whom are joining the ordinariate, thanks be to God). The issue from the very beginning has been that the Anglicans have since Henry VIII stubbornly refused to recognise the primacy and supremacy of Peter and his successors the Bishops of Rome.
You also have the Catholic Church and the Anglicans going in opposite directions on some of the more "culture war" type issues that confront Christians today. Such differences can be seen in such hot-button topics as
abortion,
contraception and female "ordination" of which Bishop Robert Hurford has
actively partaken in. Surely thoughts of exposing the faithful to such scandal should have entered the mind of Bishop Michael McKenna?!?
Let us be clear the goal of any ecumenical activity should be to bring souls to the light of salvation which can only be found within the bride of Christ on Earth, the Church He established, the Catholic Church headed by the pontiff. Any other kind of ecumenical activity like nonsense we've seen over the past 40 years like the endless talk-fests at
ARCIC and the Protestant-Catholic soup some modernist clergymen seem to be intent on stirring up (i.e. a dash of Lutheranism here, a pinch of Anglicanism there...) can do nothing but cause confusion and lead souls away from Christ.
Let us reflect on what Pope Pius XI had to say on the subject in
Mortalium Animos 10 -
11:
So, Venerable Brethren, it is clear why this Apostolic See has never allowed its
subjects to take part in the assemblies of non-Catholics: for the union of
Christians can only be promoted by promoting the return to the one true Church
of Christ of those who are separated from it, for in the past they have
unhappily left it. To the one true Church of Christ, we say, which is visible to
all, and which is to remain, according to the will of its Author, exactly the
same as He instituted it. During the lapse of centuries, the mystical Spouse of
Christ has never been contaminated, nor can she ever in the future be
contaminated, as Cyprian bears witness: "The Bride of Christ cannot be made
false to her Spouse: she is incorrupt and modest. She knows but one dwelling,
she guards the sanctity of the nuptial chamber chastely and modestly." The
same holy Martyr with good reason marveled exceedingly that anyone could believe
that "this unity in the Church which arises from a divine foundation, and which
is knit together by heavenly sacraments, could be rent and torn asunder by the
force of contrary wills." For since the mystical body of Christ, in the same
manner as His physical body, is one, compacted and fitly joined
together, it were foolish and out of place to say that the mystical body is
made up of members which are disunited and scattered abroad: whosoever therefore
is not united with the body is no member of it, neither is he in communion with
Christ its head.
Furthermore, in this one Church of Christ no man
can be or remain who does not accept, recognize and obey the authority and
supremacy of Peter and his legitimate successors. Did not the ancestors of those
who are now entangled in the errors of Photius and the reformers, obey the
Bishop of Rome, the chief shepherd of souls? Alas their children left the home
of their fathers, but it did not fall to the ground and perish for ever, for it
was supported by God. Let them therefore return to their common Father, who,
forgetting the insults previously heaped on the Apostolic See, will receive them
in the most loving fashion. For if, as they continually state, they long to be
united with Us and ours, why do they not hasten to enter the Church, "the Mother
and mistress of all Christ's faithful"? Let them hear Lactantius crying out:
"The Catholic Church is alone in keeping the true worship. This is the fount of
truth, this the house of Faith, this the temple of God: if any man enter not
here, or if any man go forth from it, he is a stranger to the hope of life and
salvation. Let none delude himself with obstinate wrangling. For life and
salvation are here concerned, which will be lost and entirely destroyed, unless
their interests are carefully and assiduously kept in mind."
Something for you to chew on.
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