Statements

Communion and Catholicity in the Church of England: A Statement of Principles

This statement by the Council of Bishops of The Society, issued in September 2015, explains

• the nature of communion;
• The Society's aspiration to be an expression of full, visible communion;
• the communion that the parishes and people of The Society continue to share with other members of the Church of England.

It reflects on the vocation of catholic Christians in the Church of England.

The statement is available here.

A Catholic Life in the Church of England: A Statement of Policy and Pastoral Guidance

This statement by the Council of Bishops of The Society, issued in September 2015:

• considers the relationship of parishes to the bishops of The Society and, through them, to its other parishes;
• explains the criteria that the bishops follow in deciding whether to commend the ministry of bishops and priests, for the purpose of sacramental assurance;
• explains the rationale for registering Priests, Deacons and Ordinands of The Society;
• sets out the bishops’ policy with regard to ordination;
• considers what living in the highest degree of communion that principle and conscience will allow should mean in practice;
• offers pastoral guidance on receiving Holy Communion and on concelebration.

The bishops call for openness to the Spirit, and for decisions to be taken ‘according to conscience and principle, and remembering the primacy of charity in the Church’.

The statement is available here.

Presentation

An address by the Bishop of Ebbsfleet, presenting the Statements to the 2015 Forward in Faith National Assembly, is available here.

Communion and Full Communion

A leaflet on Communion and Full Communion, based on the two statements, is available here.

Study Course

Communion and Catholicity: A Study Course, published by The Society in the Diocese of Leeds, can be downloaded here.