Anglican Bishops Resign for Catholicism

(UK) As a consequence of the Church of England planning to ordain women bishops, five Anglican bishops have resigned to convert to Roman Catholicism. The Roman Catholic Church supports the action with warm welcome.

Senior Catholics are finalising plans for the English Ordinariate, a new body created by the Pope to accommodate Anglican converts who cannot accept women bishops.

The Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster, Alan Hopes, the Roman Catholic representative leading the development of the Ordinariate, confirmed the identities of the five converts today.

Bishop Hopes said: “We welcome the decision of Bishops Andrew Burnham, Keith Newton, John Broadhurst, Edwin Barnes and David Silk to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church through the Ordinariate for England and Wales.”

It's expected that as many as 500 individuals will convert and join the Ordinariate in the first wave with more to follow later.