Papal Overtures to the Anglican Church
The pope is not only reaching out in direct efforts to secure a return of the Greek Church to the Roman fold, but he is said to be making similar overtures to the Church of England. The following on this point is from the Catholic News:— "By way of Vienna comes a dispatch from Rome, as follows: 'The pope has appointed a theological commission to inquire into the validity of ordinations in the Anglican Church from the view point of the Roman doctrine. His holiness has invited Cardinal Vaughn to Rome to discuss the union of the Anglican and Roman Churches. He also proposes to submit a specific scheme to a conference of cardinals, as in the case of the Eastern churches.' Leo XIII. hopes to overcome apparently insuperable obstacles in his project for the reunion of Christendom. Every Christian must admire the pope's zeal. We Catholics pray that he may succeed in his great work."