Earthquake in Anglicanism: Bishop of Fulham converting to Rome

Bishop Broadhurst: resigning to join the Ordinariate
Authentic ecumenism at work: Damian Thompson, "Earthquake in Anglo-Catholicism: Bishop of Fulham to convert to Rome; Forward in Faith 'not part of Church of England'" (Telegraph.co.uk, October 15, 2010):

Bishop John Broadhurst, Bishop of Fulham in the Anglican diocese of London, is to resign his post later this year to join the Pope’s Ordinariate. The Catholic Herald’s Anna Arco broke the story, also revealing that Bishop Broadhurst will stay as chairman of Forward in Faith, which he says is “not a Church of England organisation”. It sounds as if traditional Anglo-Catholicism is undergoing a major shift (or crisis) of allegiance, because FiF, though not representative of everyone in that constituency, was the main body for Anglo-Catholics in the Church of England opposed to women bishops and priests. Now it seems to be heading towards Roman Catholicism.

Bishop Broadhurst made his announcement at Forward in Faith’s national assembly in London today. I’m told that the mood was very sympathetic towards the Ordinariate scheme. Update: Since writing this post, I’ve listened to a clear and elegant speech on the FiF website by Fr James Patrick (in secular life, His Honour Judge James Patrick) explaining that the Ordinariate is “at the heart of the Pope’s mission” and encouraging those who are committed to joining the structure to form part of the “first wave”. Fr Patrick refers to a “Lenten journey”. Do I detect a hint that there could be mass receptions into the Catholic Church at Easter?

There is much more news in Thompson's post in his original article worth reading.

One of my daily morning petitions offered to the recently Blessed Cardinal Newman for his intercession is for the re-conversion of the British Isles back to her traditional Catholic Faith -- and what a glorious tradition, with saints like Augustine of Canterbury, Cuthbert of Lindisfarne, Aelred of Rievaulx, Venerable Bede, Thomas A'Becket, St. Ambrose ...

[Hat tip to C.B.]