Why the anglican community is a joke

Vittorio Messori is one of the most famous catholic writers and journalist in Italy, writes editorials on Il Corriere della Sera. Among his books, the best sellers “Hypothesis on Jesus” (1976), “Crossing the Threshold of the Hope” (1994) with Pope John Paul II and “Hypothesis on Mary” (2005). Messori, who converted to catholicism in his late twenties, is the only one who interviewed two Popes, John Paul II and Benedictus XVI.

He reminds that anglicans are not entitled to be called “church”. “As Ratzinger reminded, we can talk about 'church' only if this owns an apostolic succession. The anglican community is a sort of a joke. At the beginning, it was the luxury of a king. Today it is a joke because the Queen has the same role as the Pope and theological matters - as the original sin or the immaculate conception – require a vote of the Chamber of Lords”. Therefore, adds Messori, there is a persevering Diaspora towards Rome. “The anglicanism is the Chamber of Lords praying. Its unique function is chatting on current events every Sunday mornings. By now muslims are more than anglicans among the worshippers. From this church there is nothing to learn. They run after the world trends. And so let's bless homosexuality in the name of the Bible. This run - that has been going on for over a century - is pathetic. Cardinal Henry Newman decided to leave in the end. And also the United States were born from settlers escaping from the anglican inquisition, weren't they?”. A remark, then, on the failed ecumenism. “It is always required just from catholics. The union would be possibile (Paul VI already pleaded them in this direction) but not if the anglicans keep running after the spirit of time. Their decisions are radically unecumenical. We cannot get closer to a church that ordains gay priests and makes a bishop out of a lesbian. England is almost a religious desert”. (translation by Valentina Fizzotti)

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• Giulio Meotti

• Giulio Meotti è giornalista de «Il Foglio» dal 2003. È autore di numerosi libri, fra cui Non smetteremo di danzare. Le storie mai raccontate dei martiri di Israele (Premio Capalbio); Hanno ucciso Charlie Hebdo; La fine dell’Europa (Premio Capri); Israele. L’ultimo Stato europeo; Il suicidio della cultura occidentale; La tomba di Dio; Notre Dame brucia; L’Ultimo Papa d’Occidente? e L’Europa senza ebrei.