In his response to the Dubia, Francis questions the finality of Pope Leo XIII's Apostolic Letter declaring all Anglican orders to be 'absolutely null and utterly void'. He has certainly indicated to the current Anglican 'Archbishop of Canterbury' that he rejects this decision. He actually ordered that a 'bishop' friend of his belonging to an organisation that claimed to be Anglican but which was not even recognised by Anglicans as part of its 'church' be buried in a Catholic church with all the ceremony which would be given to a Catholic bishop. To reverse the decision of a great pope and two commissions who advised him is astonishing and is as important a novelty as those garnering more attention. There are multiple unfortunate possible repercussions if this opinion becomes official teaching. c) On the other hand, to be rigorous, let us recognize that a clear and authoritative doctrine on the exact nature of a "definitive statement" has not yet been fully developed. It is not a dogmatic definition, and yet it must be adhered to by all. No one can publicly contradict it and yet it can be a subject of study, as with the case of the validity of ordinations in the Anglican Communion.
Why not? Jorje Bergolio is not Catholic himself, I can see why he would want to team his false Church with other false Churches. Then they can all go down the same road to hell together.
