Anglicanorum

Anglicanorum is a term appearing in the title of the papal bull Anglicanorum Coetibus, issued by Pope Benedict XVI in 2009. The document established a canonical framework within the Catholic Church to welcome groups of Anglicans who wished to enter into full communion with Rome while preserving elements of their Anglican liturgical and spiritual patrimony.

Anglicanorum Coetibus created personal ordinariates, which are ecclesial structures similar to dioceses but not defined by geographic territory. Each ordinariate is led by a Catholic ordinary and can include parishes, communities, and clergy that come from Anglican or Anglican-heritage backgrounds. The aim was to allow former Anglicans to retain aspects of their liturgical heritage, governance, and spiritual patrimony while subscribing to Catholic doctrine and unity with Rome.

The legislation allowed Anglicans to enter the Catholic Church with their liturgical traditions adapted for Catholic communion. A key feature is the use of Anglican liturgical elements within Catholic theology, notably through Divine Worship; this enabled Anglican-heritage worship to continue under Catholic oversight.

Two well-known implementations are the Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter in the United States and the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham in the United Kingdom. Additional communities and priests from Anglican backgrounds have joined other ordinariates or formed new ones, contributing to a broader Latin Church expression of Anglican spirituality within Catholic unity.

Anglicanorum Coetibus represents a significant step in ecumenical relations, providing a pathway for reconciliation that preserves distinctive Anglican patrimony within the universal Catholic Church.