The Cathedral of the Incarnation

Letter Addressing Full Communion
With Catholics

Diocese of the Eastern United States
Anglican Church in America,(ACA/TAC)
Cathedral Of The Incarnation

The Rt. Revd. Louis Campese, Bishop Ordinary
October 22, 2009

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

First of all, I am sure most of you by now have heard the recent worldwide news that the Vatican has released a statement, saying in essence that Anglicans would be able "to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church, while preserving elements of the distinctive Anglican spirituality and liturgical Patrimony."

This is an extraordinary development in the life and witness of both the Anglican and Roman Catholics worldwide. This Papal Decree expresses sincere generosity toward Anglicans, while recognizing the ultimate goal of inter-communion, a goal the worldwide Traditional Anglican Communion, has worked so patiently toward.

My phone began ringing at 7:20AM on Tuesday, when an excited certain Sr. Warden, could not wait to share the news, and the rest of that day is a blur, as, I finally got to go to sleep at 11PM with still many unanswered phone calls and email messages - it has been virtually non-stop since this historic news broke.

Like my brother Bishops have said: "in all cases, these conversations and communications lean toward one fundamental question: "what does this mean to me and my church?" Let me assure you all, that in the immediate future, there will be no changes whatsoever. Our Church structures have not changed, our awesome liturgy remains intact and I know all our clergy will continue their Pastoral care, as they always have. The only thing, in fact, that has changed is that we have received an affirmative letter from the Holy See, a letter that holds out the promise of greater unity for our church. Our next step will be to study the Apostolic Constitution that has been developed for the purpose of providing a structure to any inter-communion arrangement. The House of Bishops has agreed to give "serious, prayerful reflection" to this document, once we receive it.

I ask you all to pray to God for guidance and I ask your prayers for us all; prayers for the unity of the church, prayers that we all exercise the discernment to see God's will, and, I join many of our Bishop's to ask you to read for the next four Sundays, passages from St. John's Gospel that we all hold so dear... (St. John 17 v v.20-26). I pray this will help to bring us to a clear understanding of God's will for all of us.

At this moment, my brothers and sisters, we have received a message. It is a message of hope and encouragement. While it is a glorious and historical moment in time, we must remember that it is a moment only. There are many more steps that we must take, many more decisions we must reach and many more prayers that must be prayed before we attain that final goal of inter communion, where we may all be unified once again in the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church where God wishes us to be.

Your Servant in Christ Jesus,

The Rt. Revd. Louis Campese,
Bishop Ordinary

Serving the Pro-Diocese of the Holy Family:

FLORIDA

Green Cove Springs
St. James Mission
EMAIL

Margate
Notre Dame du Mt. Carmel
Church
EMAIL

Miami Springs
Rey de Gloria Mission
EMAIL

New Smyrna Beach
Our Lady of the Angels
EMAIL

Ocala
Church of the Holy Cross
WEBSITE
EMAIL

Orlando
Cathedral of the Incarnation
WEBSITE
EMAIL

The Villages
St. Lukes Mission
EMAIL

KENTUCKY
Benton
St. Mark’s Anglican Church
WEBSITE
EMAIL

MARYLAND
Mount Airy
Sacred Heart of Jesus
WEBSITE
EMAIL

Registertown
St. Augustine of England Anglican Church
WEBSITE
EMAIL

Townson
Christ the King Church
WEBSITE
EMAIL

NORTH CAROLINA
Franklin
Trinity Anglican Mission
EMAIL

Jacksonville
Our Lady of Good Counsel
EMAIL

PENNSYLVANIA
Easton
St. Therese
EMAIL

Philadelphia
Church of St. Michael, Archangel
EMAIL

VIRGINIA
Fredericksburg
St. Edmund of Canterbury Anglican Mission
EMAIL