Personal Ordinariate for Former Anglicans to be Established in Australia

Our Lady of the Southern Cross by Paul Newton

The President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, Archbishop Denis Hart, announced today that Pope Benedict XVI intends to announce the establishment in Australia of a Personal Ordinariate for Former Anglicans to commence on 15th June 2012.

A Personal Ordinariate is a church structure for particular groups of people who wish to enter into communion with the Catholic Church.

Cardinal George Pell and Celebrity Atheist Richard Dawkins Debate on Australian Television

 

 

Dawkins and Pell battle it out in one hell of a debate

From The Sydney Morning Herald

By Leesha McKenny

It was a match-up made in Q&A heaven: two pugilists of opposing convictions going head-to-head in a debate about the existence of God.

Australia's highest-ranking Catholic and Sydney's archbishop, Cardinal George Pell, spent an hour with evolutionary biologist and celebrity atheist, Professor Richard Dawkins taking questions covering everything from evolution, resurrection and eternal damnation.

Frustration and something bordering on barely concealed mutual disdain boiled over more than once during the ABC television show.

Clashing ideologies … Tony Jones, centre, plays the referee to Richard Dawkins, left, and Cardinal George Pell on Q&A last night. Photo: ABC TV

Charles Darwin was claimed as a theist by the cardinal, because Darwin ''couldn't believe that the immense cosmos and all the beautiful things in the world came about either by chance or out of necessity'' - a claim disputed by Professor Dawkins as ''just not true''.

Cardinal Pell won applause when he shot back: ''It's on page 92 of his autobiography. Go and have a look.''

The clergyman remained unmoved on gay marriage and climate change, but he said evolution was ''probably'' right, and that atheists could ''certainly'' get into heaven. Professor Dawkins declared he was ''trying to be charitable'' by suggesting there was no way Cardinal Pell meant the body would literally be resurrected.

The clergyman's view that people would return after death in some kind of physical form earlier had been dismissed by Professor Dawkins. ''The brain is going to rot, that's all there is to it,'' he said.

Cardinal Pell said: ''Mr Dawkins, I don't say things I don't mean.

''I believe it because I believe the man who told us that was also the son of God. He said, 'This is my body, this is my blood'. And I'd much prefer to listen to Him and take his word than yours.''

On the Q&A vote, 76 per cent of the audience decided religion did not make the world a better place.

Australia Leading Way with UK in Anglicans Swimming Tiber

In a world where Christians are deemed unfit to be foster parents, Christians cannot afford to nurse the misunderstandings and divisions of long-dead generations.  The growing  unity among Anglicans, Orthodox, Lutherans and Roman Catholics is not only pleasing to the Father of us all, but essential to the survival of Christian civilization.

From The Record (AU)
By Anthony Barich

Interest in the Pope’s offer to Anglicans to join the Catholic Church via a unique arrangement is gaining momentum with up to 60 Anglican clergy to be ordained as Catholic priests in Australia and the Torres Strait by Pentecost this year.

 

Traditional Anglican Communion Bishop Harry Entwislte of WA offers Mass at Como Catholic Parish during the Festival introducing the Anglican Ordinariate on 26 February. Photo: Anthony Barich

That number – including 30 from Australia and 30 from the Torres Strait - is also expected to rise.

Archbishop Barry Hickey and his Auxiliary Bishop Donald Sproxton showed their strong support for the Ordinariate by both attending the 26 February festival at Como Catholic Parish introducing the Anglican Ordinariate in Australia.

Archbishop Hickey said those participating in the Ordinariate and the festival are joining in the “important prayer” of Jesus Himself, who prayed to the Father that “all may be one, as You and I are one”.