I tried to post this yesterday, but my WordPress installation was having problems; probably everybody who cares has heard all about it by now anyway. But here it is.

This is big news—potentially huge news. The Vatican has announced a new provision for Anglicans to come into communion with Rome while retaining Anglican practice as much as possible.

There’s long been a pastoral provision for Anglican priests who become Catholic to be ordained as Catholic priests, even while married; and there have long been Anglican Use parishes that use an Anglican service modified to be in line with Catholic doctrine and canon law. Now there’s going to be something called “Personal Ordinariates.” I’m not quite clear on what that means, but what it seems to mean is that the Church will allow the creation of Anglican Use “dioceses,” headed by a bishop who is a former Anglican bishop or priest. I put “dioceses” in scare quotes because they aren’t diocese in the classic sense; they are clearly a special case.

The big question is the extent to which anyone takes advantage of this new provision. Many Episcopalians and Anglicans have chosen to swim the Tiber as individuals; there are many Anglican priests and even bishops who have done so. But there have been few congregations who have chosen to come over en masse, and hence few Anglican Use parishes.

Still, this is major news, and cause for rejoicing.