Anglican bishops in move to Catholicism

FIVE bishops are to join the Roman Catholic Church under a Vatican scheme for disaffected Anglicans, it was announced yesterday.

Three serving bishops and two retired bishops have decided to enter into "full communion" with the Catholic Church through the personal ordinariate, the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales said.

The scheme, which was announced last year by the Vatican, allows Anglicans to join the Roman Catholic Church while maintaining aspects of their spiritual heritage.

The bishops are the Right Reverend Andrew Burnham, Bishop of Ebbsfleet, the Rt Rev Keith Newton, Bishop of Richborough and the Bishop of Fulham, the Rt Rev John Broadhurst, the Roman Catholic Church said in a statement.

They will be joined by the Rt Rev Edwin Barnes, the former bishop of Richborough, and the Rt Rev David Silk, the former Bishop of Ballarat in Australia.