Justin Welby (Archbishop of Canterbury) & the Catholic Church

[ecclesiastes]

A recent article on Justin Welby, the current Archbishop of Canterbury talked about his relationship with the Catholic Church:

Because he came to faith dramatically, he has few prejudices about which tradition to inhabit. “I am a spiritual magpie,” he says. As well as speaking in tongues (a Protestant practice), he adores the sacrament of the eucharist (a Catholic one). He also says the morning and evening office, Book of Common Prayer version, in the chapel of the palace, every day. “Today it was Psalm 51, which is penitential. If you come in thinking how brilliant you are, it’s good to say that psalm.”

The routine of regular prayer is immensely important in overcoming the ups and downs of human moods, he thinks. For his own spiritual discipline, Justin Welby uses Catholic models – the contemplation and stability of Benedictines, and the rigorous self-examination of St Ignatius. And, in a choice that could not possibly have been made since the 16th century – until now – the Archbishop’s spiritual director is Fr Nicolas Buttet, a Roman Catholic priest.

The Archbishop recently visited the new Pope, Francis, and was thrilled. “I think he is extraordinary. Unpredictable. He’s not John XXIII or anyone else. He’s Francis. He has deep humility and a consciousness of the complexity of things. He has Ignatian and Franciscan spirituality.”

It is spirituality that the two men share, and it is overcoming the divisions of 500 years: “One of the most exciting trends in western Christianity is that the Sprit of God is drawing Christians together.”

Where will his discussions with the Pope lead? “I haven’t a clue,” he says, disarmingly. He thinks that the ordination of women bishops, though he vigorously supports it, is the biggest obstacle to unity with Rome, but he also believes that both Churches now accept that they must “walk together’’. Besides, “Rome is semper eadem [always the same], but infinitely flexible when it needs to be.”

Fr Buttet is a Swiss former lawyer and politician, who became a hermit. He founded a community that helps life’s “wounded’’, especially those in long-term psychiatric care. I ask the Archbishop whether, given his own family history, he too is wounded. He pauses for a very long time, and sighs, as if the question hurts. At last he says: “I assume that I am, but I also assume that the grace of God is extraordinarily powerful in the healing of one’s wounds.”

Read the rest of the inverview here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion...asles.html

For those of you who know French, here is more information about Fr. Buttet: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolas_Buttet

[iona_scribe]

He sounds like a wild card, not really heavily entrenched in any one of the main Anglican camps (Anglo-Catholic, Liberal, or Evangelical). Maybe Pope Francis will have some real power to influence him. We should pray to the Holy Spirit to move Welby in Rome's direction more theologically.

[Philosoraptor]

That he has a priest as a spiritual director is really quite surprising.

[2Vermont]

Maybe I was the only one, but when I read this all I could think was "what the heck is this guy talking about?"

[formerbuddhist]

How can a priest actually direct him other than to try to subtly lead him to the Catholic Church and the sacraments within her that he is sadly unablee to partake of? What is "always the same yet infinitely flexible" actually mean? He seems less of a tragic Rembert Weakland figure than his predecessor Rowan Williams but he is tragic nonetheless.Indeed prayers are need for his conversion away from his tragic heresy,schism and empty sacraments.