Vatican adopts procedure for Anglicans

VATICAN CITY (UPI) -- Pope Benedict XVI has approved allowing Anglican groups to join the Catholic Church while keeping parts of their own worship, a Vatican official said Tuesday.
Cardinal William Levada announced the new Apostolic Constitution at a news conference at the Vatican, the Catholic News Agency reported. He said it "provides a reasonable and even necessary response to a world-wide phenomenon" of Anglicans dissatisfied with the acceptance of sexually active gay priests by some churches in the Anglican Communion.

Levada said married Anglican priests who join the Roman Catholic Church will be able to become ordained Catholic priests, although they will not be able to become bishops. The constitution would also allow former Anglicans to keep "elements of distinctive Anglican spiritual patrimony" while entering into full communion with the Catholic Church.

"The provision of this new structure is consistent with the commitment to ecumenical dialogue which continues to be a priority for the Catholic Church, particularly through the efforts of the Pontifical Council for Promotion of Christian Unity," Levada said.