Crucial Catholic, Anglican split ends

The Rhodesia Herald,

December 31, 1971

THE Roman Catholic and Anglican Churches today, announced a substantial agreement on one of the doctrinal issues, which have split them for 400 years.

A permanent international commission of Catholics and Anglicans, set up two years ago to pave the way for unity, announced that substantial agreement had been reached on the crucial issue of the Eucharist.

The Eucharist, or Holy Communion, is the most important sacrament of Christian worship commemorating Christ’s Last Supper before his crucifixion.

Catholic official doctrine has insisted that the body and blood of Christ are present in the bread and wine consumed by worshippers during the service: the idea of transubstantiation.

But since the Reformation in the 16th century, when the Church of England broke away from the Roman Catholic Church, Anglicans have rejected transubstantiation.

The international commission’s agreement reached at its last meeting at Windsor in September, and published here today, is based on two main points:

Both sides see the Eucharist as a “memorial” to the life, death and resurrection of Christ. “The sacramental body and blood of the Saviour are present as an offering to the believer awaiting his welcome”.

LESSONS FOR TODAY

Holy Communion is one of the most important sacraments of the Christian faith, and both the Catholic and Protestant churches practice it.
The difference between the Anglican Church and the Catholic Church is that Anglican refers to the Church of England, whereas Catholic comes from the Greek word that means “universal”.
The first form of Christianity is through the Catholic Church. The origin of the Anglican Church was during the Reformation. It was the idea of Henry VIII.
Much of the mass is the same, but Catholics believe the bread and wine are actually the body and blood of Christ.
The Anglican Church eschews hierarchy while the Catholic Church embraces it.
When churches are united through their doctrines, the unity is shared by society at large, resulting in peace and harmony.