It's with a light and happy heart that I wish to inform the forum that I have reverted to the Roman Catholic Faith , the traditional Catholicism as practiced by Society of Saint Pius X. I could no longer ignore the longing love that I carry in my heart for my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, second person of Blessed Trinity, son of The Father, God made man. Prayer , study and examination of conscience were instrumental in my decision making. Also the love for Catholicism expressed on this forum was inspirational. Please join with me in my rejoicing at returning to the faith of my fathers and remember me in your prayers as I will you my beloved brethren
Live long and prosper Aidan. You have enriched us with your presence. May the space between us always be sacred space.
You were a Baha'i, right @Aidan? In that case welcome to the Christian family. I still believe you had to have chosen Anglicanism as I don't know it will be possible to reconcile the fact of SSPX being in schism from the Papacy. We Anglicans don't have to worry about problems like that. Adieu!
as long as u r a nice person, and are gentle, and smile, and are honest and talk respectfully n have a heart... it doesnt matter whether u r anglican catholic or wotever - u r what god wants I'll send u smiles
Indeed dearr to an extent beloved sister. I'm sure , as I've ever been sure of anything, that the Holy Ghost wants me to love and worship Him by following a most ancient path, Catholicism with its Liturgy,scripture and patristics
Welcome back to your Christian family dear Aidan. May God continue to bless you on your journey. It's a blessing for us to have you here.
My dad also made it clear that he'd never come back to the church as an Anglican. He is still Christian though but feels we have lost all credibility. I must tell him about continuing Anglicanism though, because what he grew up on seems to be thoroughly reflected there than in Canterbury.
I don't think our issues have to do with a crisis at the core of our identity. No one pretends that the liberals and the heretics are actually represented in our Divines, the centuries of our Theologians, the Church Fathers, or Sacred Scripture. Everyone understands that the liberals are creating brand new doctrine, even if they are in charge in a few provinces and are causing damage to the faithful. The situation in Rome is quite different because it goes to the very heart of Catholic identity and that rift goes centuries into the past. The Pope is the root and center of Catholic orthodoxy, but currently he is the source of heresy. You have people who are faithful to the Pope who promote heresy and are supported by him. You have the SSPX who try to be faithful to Catholic doctrine, who deny the authority of the Pope making them non-Catholic in practice. It is an existential crisis the likes of which we do not have.
Firstly my brother, SSPX don't deny the popes authority but they maintain that he is in error. Secondly Surely the Archbishop of Canterbury whom multitudes believe to be the head of Anglicanism, in allowing female clergy strikes at the core of Anglican identity and is therefore an existential crisis
My friend you as well as I know that the Archbishop of Canterbury is not a source of doctrine among Anglicans, in the same way that a Pope is for the Roman Catholics. He may institute changes but they go no farther than his own Province, and while Welby's flirtation with heresy may be utterly distressing it does not affect my personal identity as an Anglican. It would be quite different if Welby were the Vicar of Christ on Earth who was hand-picked by God to teach men, as Roman Catholicism believes of the Pope. A heretical Pope quite literally disbars people from being faithful Catholics. When you look at the fact that the SSPX deny the Pope's jurisdiction and establish churches wherever they want, whilst simultaneously disobeying every single law and edict which all recent Popes have issued -- the code of canon law, the catechism, the ecumenical directives -- doesn't that strike you as denying the Pope's authority? And how can they maintain that the Pope is in error when the ancient Catholic dictum is that the Pope is above any ecclesiastical and moral court whatsoever, that "the Pope can be judged by no one on Earth?"
The ABC does not establish doctrine but most certainly can affect your identity as an Anglican. The ABC determines which provinces are (and are not) members of the Anglican communion.
I thought that, in the main, certain Anglican Churches decided that they didn't want to be in communion with Canterbury rather than Canterbury saying that they couldn't be members of the communion?
Non Anglicans perceive Justin Welby as the head of Anglicanism, and are not aware of continuing Anglicanism etc
I think that a difference is that Anglicans, even Canterbury communion Anglicans do not regard the Archbishop of Canterbury (or the Archbishop in conjunction with leading Bishops) as infallible. But Papal infallibility is an RC dogma isn't it? But, in any case, going back to your original post, I rejoice that you have returned to Christianity and a belief in God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.