There has been a lot of patronising comment and misrepresentation, and attempts from all quarters (largely from Anglicans in pointy hats, but also from a few Catholics wearing sandals) to downplay what the Holy Father has done in the Apostolic Constitution.
But it would be foolish in the extreme for those who seem incapable of keeping a solemn promise, and for whom “honour” is simply another weapon in the day to day political armoury, to pretend that nothing has changed as a result of it.
Those who have nothing to fear don’t usually tend to invest in the time and trouble to splash around such huge amounts of cold water.
The same would seem to apply to those of greater integrity who, in genuine hope but against all the evidence, still think that traditional forms of inter-church dialogue can be productive when engaging with those whose ecclesiology makes it impossible for them to be ecumenically honest.
For a sane view of the situation one could do worse than follow this link to a recent editorial from the Cause for the Canonisation of John Henry Cardinal Newman:
http://www.newmancause.co.uk/news/editorial-newman-and-the-tablet-on-becoming-catholic.html
It’s refreshing, with so much disinformation in the air, to be understood.
Well said, Father.
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