Looks like the guys in the marketing department at the Vatican have decided that the time is ripe to poach some members from the Anglican Church.

http://www.timesonline.com/bct_news/news_details/article/1373/2009/october/20/vatican-creates-new-structure-for-anglicans.html

There always has been a "fast track" for Anglican priests to become Catholic priests, but these new proposals take things farther, so that your average "Joe six pack" Anglican churchgoer can sign up to be a Roamin' Catholic too.   8)

Not sure how well this will work.  Anglicans (Episcopalians here in the U.S. of A.) already have an alternative to "mainstream", called the Anglican Church of the Southern Cone, which has already been adopted by the majority of Episcopalian parishes here in the Picksburgh area.  The Cone strictly adheres to the traditional Anglican/Episcopalian beliefs.

Good luck with one!

;D

I was raised Episcopal, and I can't see a lot of them turning to the Catholic Church, even though the two are near identical.  The swearing allegiance to the Pope is the thing that would keep them away.

Episcopalians are just English Catholics.

They just split-up from the Catholics so Henry VIII could get divorced!

If this program works out, we're gonna start recruiting Jews too. 

Converts under that program will be able to have their bar mitzvah count as a substitute for confirmation.

;D

Episcopalians are just English Catholics.

They just split-up from the Catholics so Henry XIII could get divorced!


There was no Henry XIII.  Perhaps you were thinking of Henry VIII?

There was no Henry XIII.  Perhaps you were thinking of Henry VIII?


D'oh!

I just fixed it!

Just in case you are Anglican clergy and had a craving for choir boys...  there now is a way...

j/k  ;)

Just in case you are Anglican clergy and had a craving for choir boys...  there now is a way...

j/k  ;)


I was thinking the sssaaaaaammmmme thiiiiiiinnnnggg....... ;D

Sometimes it takes something as laughably silly as this (or Tony Blair's conversion) to make you realize just how bizarre some people's view of what is important in life is.

So Pope Ben's position seems to be that if you're misogynist and/or homophobic, there's a place in the Catholic church.. an organization that seems to think that God's long-term plan for humanity is to die of starvation after filling up the planet with unfettered breeding.

http://media.ebaumsworld.com/picture/ryanposhusta/PopePalpatine.png
No Anglican can resist the power of the dark side

The catholic church is loosing its members right and left.  Diocese are either closing down, consolidating, going bankrupt or paying out hush money.  They're catering to disgruntled people which is never a good way to increase your numbers. 

The catholic church is loosing its members right and left.  Diocese are either closing down, consolidating, going bankrupt or paying out hush money.  They're catering to disgruntled people which is never a good way to increase your numbers. 


http://th01.deviantart.net/fs23/300W/i/2007/347/b/7/Dark_Side_Cookies_by_Slade_Nightclan.jpg

How about a bake sale?

The catholic church is loosing its members right and left.  Diocese are either closing down, consolidating, going bankrupt or paying out hush money.  They're catering to disgruntled people which is never a good way to increase your numbers. 


To the contrary.  Almost every organized religion has its roots in disgruntled people.

To the contrary.  Almost every organized religion has its roots in disgruntled people.


Is this why Christianity has so many denominations and groups within those denominations with very few members?  Anglicans aren't going to become Catholic.  What's most likely to happen is splinter groups.

http://th01.deviantart.net/fs23/300W/i/2007/347/b/7/Dark_Side_Cookies_by_Slade_Nightclan.jpg

How about a bake sale?


That'll work!!!  Nothing like chocolate chip cookies to lead a person to religion. :)

Is this why Christianity has so many denominations and groups within those denominations with very few members?  Anglicans aren't going to become Catholic.  What's most likely to happen is splinter groups.


Well I think that most of the "breakaway" parishes (here in Picksburgh the "breakaways" are actually the majority of the Episcopalian parishes) will affiliate with the Southern Cone Anglicans.

With the Southern Cone affiliation available, I would not expect much need for Episcopalians to go back to the mother church.

The Presbys are close to a similar schism, and I think the Lutherans are too.  All of the mainline protestant churches are struggling with elements that would like to "modernize" their religions.

All of the mainline protestant churches are struggling with elements that would like to "modernize" their religions.


Pretty much, although modernizing religions is kind of akin to getting people to realize it's b.s.  I think there's a good reason why so many people are switching to atheism or agnosticism.