Scottish Catholic Observer

The three former bishops are among the first clergy and worshippers to convert to Catholicism under the ordinariate offered by Pope Benedict XVI and are expected to be ordained as Catholic priests on January 15.

Andrew Burnham (above), former bishop of Ebbsfleet, Keith Newton, former bishop of Richborough, and John Broadhurst, former bishop of Fulham, were welcomed to the Church by Bishop Alan Hopes, auxiliary bishop of Westminster Diocese at an historic celebration at Westminster Cathedral on New Year’s Day.

In November 2009, Pope Benedict published the Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum coetibus, which established a new legal structure for Anglicans who wished to keep their Anglican identity but wanted to come into communion with the Catholic Church.

The three former Anglican bishops will be the first members of an ordinariate—which they described as ‘an answer to their prayers’ —in England and Wales and are expected to be followed in the first wave by 500 to 800 people.

A statement from the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales said: “With the permission of the Holy See, John Broadhurst, Andrew Burnham and Keith Newton will be ordained as Catholic Deacons in Allen Hall Seminary Chapel on Thursday January 13 2011 at 5.30pm. Their ordination as Catholic priests will take place at Westminster Cathedral on Saturday January 15 2011 at 10.30am.”