Corpus Christi Patriarchal Address

(ACNS) - The video of the address for Corpus Christi by the Patriarch of the Anglican Rite Roman Catholic Church is now available to the public. This address is one of the five regular Patriarchal Addresses given throughout the year.

New Encyclical - Sine Roma

SINE ROMA

Encyclical regarding the Roman Nature
of the Anglican Church

To the Bishops, Regular Clergy, and Faithful of the Anglican Rite Roman Catholic Church, greetings and Apostolic Blessings.

1. Without Rome, there would be no Anglican Church. Saint Augustine of Canterbury was sent to England in the Sixth Century by Pope Saint Gregory the Great with a mission of building the Church in that country. (1)

2. The Anglican Church proper, having been thus founded by Saint Augustine of Canterbury, naturally evolved as part of the Roman Church, while retaining and developing its own customs, still within the framework of the Roman Church. In A.D. 597, Pope Saint Gregory the Great authorized special liturgy for the English people be developed by Saint Augustine of Canterbury. (2)

3. The political break with Rome by Henry VIII occurred in 1529 over the matter of divorce and annulment. However, while the Anglican Bishops were forcibly cut from communion with Rome, the mass remained the same Latin mass as had been used before. (3)

4. In 1592, the Book of Common Prayer, in English, is revised to suit Protestants, with the doctrine of the Real Presence removed, as well as vestments, holy oil, the sign of the Cross at Confirmation, the reserved Sacrament, and prayers for the departed. However, when Mary Tudor ascended to the throne, 1553, succeeding Edward VI, the connection to Rome was again restored. However, it had become clear that the Protestant influence had thoroughly taken root in England. When Elizabeth I, a staunch Protestant, became Queen upon the death of Mary Tudor, the break from Rome for religious reasons was carried out, and the Anglican Church went into doctrinal schism. (4)

5. During and after the reign of Elizabeth I, the Protestant influence has been felt within the Anglican Church, even to the present day. While many Catholics, generally referred to as Anglo-Catholics, remain present within the various jurisdictions of the worldwide Anglican Church, even in some cases at Anglo-Catholic parishes professing Catholic doctrine, they are largely discriminated against. Attempts are made to suppress Anglo-Catholics.

6. At many Anglican parishes and within many Anglican dioceses, this suppression takes the form of catering to vocal low-church Protestants who criticize their ecclesiastical leaders and other parishioners who profess Catholic doctrine and seek Catholic worship in the Anglican tradition. The result of this is to bring worship and catechesis to the least common denominator, watering down the Faith of the Ages to suit the heretical whims of low-church Protestants within the Church. The Catholics are forced to suppress their views and further suffer by not receiving the fullness of the liturgical and catechetical life of the Church. The Catholics within such parishes or dioceses are often left feeling disenchanted, offended, and as second class citizens whose needs are insignificant to the other parishioners and to the clergy.

7. While low-church Protestants may be welcomed in Christian brotherhood, clergy and faithful alike fail in their duty to God and to his Holy Church when they uphold, adopt, or profess heresies. They need not openly adopt said heresy, but may nevertheless be guilty of its promulgation by not opposing it. (5)

8. One of the greatest strengths of the Anglican tradition is that there is ability for variation in worship. This tradition is strengthened by the fact that Pope Saint Gregory the Great charged Saint Augustine of Canterbury with the task of developing new liturgy for the Anglican Church. Yet, any such variation of change made must in all cases be consistent in fact and in spirit with the doctrine of the Church and must never imply or promote doctrinal changes. The liturgical changes within the Protestant Reformation were made to promote a break with Rome, the true heritage of the Anglican Church, and to imply changes in doctrine to be consistent with Protestant thought. Such liturgy cannot be permitted or tolerated within any Anglican jurisdiction professing the Catholic Faith.

9. In 1560, "An Apology for the Church of England" was written by John Jewel, in which Rome is declared to be the schismatic force, not England. In 1563, the Thirty-Nine Articles were drafted as a statement of the new Protestant doctrine of the Church of England. Rome was viewed as the enemy, then, by the Protestants. Fear and dislike of Rome is a byproduct of the Protestant Reformation and its influence on the Anglican Church. It is not and cannot be a product of the Anglican Church simply being different, as the Anglican Church was founded by Rome. As such, the history, doctrine, and traditions of the Anglican Church cannot exist, cannot function, and cannot be explained or understood outside of the context of Rome.

10. To claim to be Anglican and take offense at Rome is both to deny one's own heritage and to profess a steadfastly Protestant viewpoint. To claim to be Anglican and Catholic (or Anglo-Catholic) while denying Roman heritage is either to be not Catholic at all or at the very least not to have a thorough understanding of one's own heritage, history, and tradition.

11. It is incumbent upon all Catholic clergy of the Anglican Rite to impress the history and doctrine of the Church upon all the faithful. The simple truth must be promulgated that to be Anglican is to be Roman. The history of the two cannot be separated if one is going to profess the Catholic Faith.

12. A further problem that stems from procedural changes beginning in the Protestant Reformation is that of a Parish Vestry or a Parish Council taking upon itself far more authority than it is due. Far too often the laity of a parish, organized often in the form of a Parish Council or a Vestry, seeks to be the ultimate authority in the parish, usurping the authority of the clergy and often mistreating them.

13. In the Anglican Rite Roman Catholic Church, it must be remembered that the authority of the Vestry or Parish Council is limited to an advisory or operational role only. (6) Furthermore, as the principal authority in a parish is vested in the Rector, a parish need not have lay officers. (7) In this way, the Church keeps with the historic nature of its organization.

14. The Church is and has always been organized from the top down. Jesus Christ gave the authority to the Apostles at the first Pentecost. The Apostles gave authority to the Bishops. The Bishops have passed their Apostolic authority down through the ages to the present day through unbroken Apostolic succession. Bishops ordain priests and deacons, and commission to the Minor Orders in order to carry out the functions of the Church's ministry.

15. The Church is not a grass-roots organization in which the laity gives authority to the Rector, who gives authority to the Bishop, and so forth. To assume that it is organized in such a fashion is an affront to the Church and ultimately to Jesus Christ himself, who established the Church in a particular way.

16. Those clergy who wish to usurp the positions of higher authorities within the Church, as well as those members of the laity who seek to usurp the rightful position of the clergy commit the sin of pride. If such usurpations continue, it breeds an atmosphere of discontentment and instability within a parish, a diocese, or even the Church as a whole, rather than a prayerful, peaceful atmosphere that is intended.

17. The clergy and faithful who seek to impose their own will in matters of liturgy, doctrine, and ecclesiastical law and practice in contravention of Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition, and higher ecclesiastical authority, lay no claim to call themselves Catholic. This individual arrogance is one of the largest impediments to Christian unity today, even unity within the Anglican Church.

18. Therefore, all members of the clergy and faithful are exhorted to keep the Catholic Faith in all matters of life, upholding the doctrine, and never forgetting the completeness of our Anglican heritage. This heritage includes, as a matter of historical fact, the heritage of the Roman Church. This heritage is not merely a point of history, but rather an inseparable aspect of the spiritual nature of our Church. Only the Protestants seek to deny this. To be Anglican is to be Roman. Without Rome, there is no Anglican Church.

Rutherford Card. Johnson
Patriarch of the Anglican Rite Roman Catholic Church

Given at the Court of Saint Mary of Walsingham
on the Fourth Sunday after Easter
22 May A.D. 2011.

Notes:

(1) New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia; St. Augustine of Canterbury.

(2) Anglican Timeline. E. Friedlander.

(3) Idem.

(4) Idem.

(5) Eph. 4.25.; 2010 Anglo-Catholic Book of Common Prayer. Ways of Being an Accessory to the Sin of Another.

(6) Can. 276, Sec. 5, Code of Particular Canon Law.

(7) Can. 276, Sec. 1, Code of Particular Canon Law.

BREAKING NEWS: Was God shocked to learn there is no Heaven?!

This article is intended as a piece of satire regarding the recent nonsensical claim of Stephen Hawking that there is no God and no Heaven.

18 May 2011 (ACNS) - Sitting on the heavenly throne, God was no doubt shocked and surprised to learn that his abode did not actually exist. The revelation came from Stephen Hawking, alleged brilliant physicist, who declared that neither God nor Heaven existed. Upon hearing the news, though, it is highly unlikely that God felt compelled to look in his mirror (if there even is such a thing in Heaven) to confirm that he was still there.

Mr. Hawking is considered brilliant by some, but some top physicists around the world consider him to be highly overrated and his ideas in general to be those of a crackpot. Unfortunately for him, this recent "scientific revelation" confirms the latter.

His behavior is a bit like that of a rebellious teenager against his parents. Such a teenager says to his parents "I don't have to listen to you. I don't have to do what you say. I don't have to acknowledge you." Mr. Hawking's attitudes towards his Creator are very similar.

Fortunately we need not worry, get upset, or even bother to refute his comments. Writers such as Thomas Aquinas have already done that a long time ago. We need merely sit back and wonder whether or not, if we claim Stephen Hawking does not exist, he will suddenly disappear.

Neighbor helping neighbor after a disaster

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. 14 May 2011 (ACNS) - More than two weeks after the worst tornado outbreak in history ravaged the Southern United States, volunteers are still out in force. They come from all over the country, even as far away as Los Angeles and New York, and many come from neighboring communities and neighborhoods. Those who were spared are helping those who were hit the hardest. Even those who suffered terrible damage help others. Some even risked their lives in the midst of the storms to save other people. Recovery from the disaster will take years, and the volunteer spirit still shines strong.

Volunteers in a badly-damaged neighborhood.

In true Christian spirit, people turned out in droves to help those in need and those who had lost everything. People took time off of work to help. Even those who have job obligations during the week are giving their time to join in the cleanup effort on the weekend.

A trash pile from cleanup efforts.

Volunteers come from all walks of life, all professions and trades, and all ages. Churches, civic groups, associations and club, and even just ad hoc groups of people coming together for a common purpose are working hard to return life to normal for those who were hit so hard.

High school girls who lost their prom dresses in the storm thought the prom would have to be missed. Donations of thousands of prom dresses from all over the country, though, made their dreams come true. Temporary housing is being constructed. The stories go on and on. This just goes to show that the true human spirit that God gave each and every one of us is still alive and well.

Tornadoes tear through Alabama - Anglican Rite Catholics help victims

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. 4 May 2011 (ACNS) - While most of America seemed to be swooning over the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton and cheering the death of Osama bin Laden, most Alabamians were picking up the pieces after what was perhaps the worst tornado outbreak in history. As many as 150 or more tornadoes ripped through Alabama on the 27th of April. Some of these reached strength of EF-5, the highest category, with winds over 200 mph. Many people lost their homes. There were many deaths. All of North Alabama was left without power for days, and some without telephone. The devastation was immense.



What is left of a home in one of the worst hit areas.

Cardinal Johnson, Patriarch of the Anglican Rite Roman Catholic Church, was present throughout the day of storms, and while he escaped damage and injury, it brought back memories of his own experience as a tornado survivor more than twenty years ago. "We had an EF-5 tornado pass right over our house, imploding the windows and causing major damage," he said. "It picked up our dog, who survived with only minimal injury. It flattened several of the houses behind us down to the foundation. When I toured some of the most affected areas, it brought back many memories."  

A neighborhood ravaged by a tornado.

Even in the worst of time, the human spirit has a tendency to shine through. Well before FEMA started operations, Alabamians took care of the situation. The government, church and civic groups, and scores of volunteers turned out immediately to help out. Neighbors helped neighbors.

Cardinal Johnson arrives at a the scene
of destruction from an EF-5 tornado.

The volunteer spirit is immense. People volunteered their time and resources to use their skills to help those in need. Anglican Rite Catholics, operating largely through the Church's humanitarian wing, the Anglo-Catholic Relief Service, provided help in the affected areas through clean-up, information services, assistance for medical responders, food delivery, and more. Anglican Rite Catholic volunteers worked alongside those from other churches and faith based and civic organizations, as well as people who just walked into the volunteer coordination center asking what they could do to help.



The tornado and the resulting power outage left many with food and other supplies, even if their homes did not sustain any damage. Anglican Rite Catholics, including Cardinal Johnson, joined local volunteers at a faith-based organization in distributing food all over North Alabama.

Cardinal Johnson delivers food to those left in need
after the tornado, one of many volunteers helping out.

Relief workers have come from all over the country, even as far away as Los Angeles. Those who wish to contribute financially may consider a donation to the American Red Cross, marked for the tornado disaster fund. Much is needed to achieve a recovery, not the least of which is prayer. In time, the buildings will be rebuilt and the area cleaned, and life will return to normal. The memories and the emotions, however, will always remain.

Tornado Disaster Relief

MADISON COUNTY, Ala. 2 May 2011 (ACNS) - Members of the Anglican Rite Roman Catholic Church are participating in the disaster relief effort in Alabama following the devastating tornado outbreak last week. Unfortunately, both An Anglo-Catholic Sunday and the Patriarchal Easter Address will be delayed. Please consider donating funds to the effort through the American Red Cross. And, of course, contribute through prayer.

A GREAT new spiritual book!

A review by

Rutherford Card. Johnson

of

I have had very little time for discretionary reading these days, so when I not only read a book, but call it a page turner, that ought to say something. That is precisely what I would call A Time To... by Ronald Louis Peterson. The novel claims to be a baby boomer's spiritual journey, and it is just that. But, the message is one that ought to resonate with every man, woman, and child, no matter what their age.

A Time To... tells the story of Al Masterson, a man working in the World Trade Center on that fateful September 11th in 2001. He is trapped in the building, close to death, and is mysteriously taken on a journey of his whole life. It begins when he is a young boy who just moved to New York from Kentucky and continues on through being a Peace Corps volunteer to a media professional. He experiences many ups and downs, and even some personal crises and tragedies. He goes through several tries at self-discovery. As he progresses through his life, he becomes acutely aware of the deeper meaning of everything he experienced. Even those terrible times in his life turned out to be mechanism for spiritual growth that helped to make his life better. Al learns that what seems bad at one particular moment in time may actually have a greater purpose according to God's plan. We cannot hope to understand the vast magnitude of that plan, and thus must go forward in faith. This is the lesson that Al learns.

As the story progresses, Al comes back to the present time, where he is still trapped in the World Trade Center. I will not give away the interesting ending, as that would truly spoil the book. However, suffice it to say that he finds through the spiritual journey he took just what a great, wonderful, and positive impact his life experiences have had, not just on himself, but on those whose lives he has touched in ways he did not even know. 

Ronald Louis Peterson drew on his own experience growing up in New York, working as a Peace Corp volunteer in Ethiopia, and as a media and public affairs professional. This gives the book a great deal of realism. Also, the novel is filled with historical facts from the various periods of Al Masterson's life. While some younger readers might not know about all of these events, I do not believe this detracts from the message of the story at all. Whether young or old, and no matter where you are in your own faith journey, A Time To... will speak to your heart.