Resources for Anglicans?

[14er]

I have an Anglican friend that I would like to help bring into the Catholic church. He is a member of a parish here In the USA that had a dust up with the liberals in the Episcopalian church over the usual subjects afflicting the EC, such as homosexual bishops, etc. They have split over these differences and have aligned themselves with an Anglican bishop in Africa, and have set up their own parish under that structure, such as it is. This new parish is full of good, conservative, God-fearing believers and they seem very close in doctrine and morals to Catholics.

But I fear for my friend because of the lack of access to the sacraments, especially confession. I believe that I can guide him onto the Catholic faith, but I don’t really know of any good resources that would be especially good considering his background. For instance, I don’t think “Catholicism and Fundamentalism” would be appropriate because he is not a fundamentalist. I have never read “Apologia Pro Vita Sua” by Newman, but is this something that would be appropriate here? So are there any former Anglicans (or anyone else who is knowledgeable) who have crossed the Tiber who can give me some guidance as to resources I can reccommend to my friend?

 

[DavidFilmer]

I have never read “Apologia Pro Vita Sua” by Newman, but is this something that would be appropriate here?

I have, when I was an Anglican, but by the time I read it, I was already pretty sure I was gonna convert. I read *Apology *more for confirmation than conversion.

However, it is not an easy read, by any standards. I think Newman’s intended audience was probably educated Anglican churchmen (who he hoped would follow him), not laypeople. I would regard it as a graduate-level college book and unlikely to be accessible to most laypeople.

As a traditionalist-Anglican (who regarded himself as a catholic, not a protestant), what impressed me the most (and opened the door to my conversion) were the Early Fathers. Anglicans claim the same history as Catholics, up to the Great Schism in 1054. They accept all Ecumenical Councils before that date, and they regard the *ECFs *as their Fathers also.

But very few Anglicans are actually familiar with that first millennium. When I realized that the Early Church Fathers CLEARLY described the office of the Pope as a distinct and unique office (identical in nature to the current Pope), I realized that the Early Church had a Pope - not just a “first among equals.”

There are many faiths that regard themselves as “catholic,” and some of them have valid apostolic Orders. But only one has a Pope.