Isn’t this actually the third time around? 
Poor man, I hope he’s finally made up his mind about where God is calling him to be.

Consider the case of poor Richard Sibthorp:

http://rathernot.classicalanglican.net/?p=88

I was thinking of this very man, IRNS!  Bishop Pope hasn’t come close to him yet.  I was also rather annoyed, but hardly surprised, by Miss Sherrod’s sneering tone about the whole thing.

The contrast between Bishop Iker’s gracious statement and Miz Sherrod’s sneers is striking . . . but hardly surprising.

She has been given many awards for her consistent advocacy of women’s reproductive freedom and for her 25 years of writing about efforts to combat family violence.

Seems like Bishop Pope isn’t the only one who can’t make up his or her mind.

I might say that the headline is in error. If it is true that the Episcopal Bishop Clarence Pope has joined the Roman Church- the headline should read: Fromer Episcopal Bishop Clarence Pope joins the Roman Catholic Church. He would no longer be a Bishop- as Rome does not recognize the orders in the Anglican Communion.

L#3 and #4:  the author of this article remains, to this day, a virulent opponent of the catholic teaching of Christ’s appointment of men only for the apostolic ministries of bishop/priest/deacon.
Bp. Iker, following Bp. Pope’s admirable example, will not bow down to the totems of modernism (in this case, feminism, and its application within the Church), and continues to make his winsome and respectful witness to the Truth.
At Bp. Iker’s conscecration service, folk holding with this article’s author made numerous, spurious and viscious accusations against Jack Iker as he humbly stood to hear 45 minutes of vitriol…which then PB Browing crowned by his own political statement before allowing the mass to continue. 
I have no doubt who stands for both catholic Truth and Christ-like charitable humility in the diocese of Ft. Worth (Hint: it ain’t those who rail against the bishop!)

This is such a difficult, confusing, and trying time in TEC. We need to have as much charity as possible toward those who are struggling to be where they believe God would have them be.  I expect Fr. (Bishop) Pope is not the only one among us who has been suffering from radical ambivalence.

Can Clarence Pope remain a retired member of the Episcopal House of Bishops?  After all, Jack Spong can, and he’s renounced the Christian Faith entirely.  All Pope did was switch his address from New York to Rome.

Is the Pope a Catholic?
(Sorry, couldn’t resist that one.)

Gordian -

Actually, Bishop Pope was sometimes called Pope Bishop back in the day.

Of course, Katie Sherrod is only doing what ex-catholics often do, which is to AS LOUDLY AS POSSIBLE, let the world know that THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IS BAD BAD BAD. Get that? BAD!

There was a vicar apostolic of England from 1623-1624 named William Bishop.  Other than a pseudonym, since it was penal times, I wonder what he was called.  Surely not “Bishop Bishop”?

Ms. Sherrod’s compassion toward an 80-year-old man who’s obviously been suffering through a 16 year crisis of faith is truly awe-inspiring!

#13:

Maybe so; but I’ve seen some T19 posters be pretty unkind when talking about RC priests who moved to Anglican churches to get married.  “Awe-inspiring compassion” goes both ways.

#13 -

Well, that’s in line with the reappraiser meme that any reasserter disagreement is hateful. Oh, well…

As a Catholic, I’m pretty sensitive to Catholic posts here, and haven’t yet seen negative comments about RC to Anglican converts. In fact, a recent thread on another Anglican blog yielded a number of comments that boiled down to “good for him, bringing his church membership into line with his beliefs.” 

Anyway, Katie Sherrod’s fisking of Bp. Iker’s press release was vile and hateful. Her approach is basically to slander anyone who disagrees with her.  I remember when she wrote for the FW Star-Telegram and it’s pattern.  Any decent reappraiser ought to be embarrassed by her hate-mongering. She is the reappraiser’s worst enemy.

Richard Sibthorp

Good heavens!  Imagine the number of open resignation letters that must have ensued!

Just for the record, I don’t consider Katie Sherrod’s reportage to be “hate-mongering” nor am I the least bit embarrassed by it. Amused, yes. Embarrassed, no. I have to assume Bishop Pope is a bit embarrassed tho’....about his inability to make up is mind, if for nothing else. Keep up the good work, Katie. I enjoy your sense of irony and humor!  We don’t see much of either one on this blog!

RE: “. . . sense of irony and humor!  We don’t see much of either one on this blog!”

LOL. Oh dear . . . not only do we not share the same gospel, but we don’t share the same sense of irony or humor.

I’m so surprised!  ; > )  [irony alert for reappraisers]

Somehow, Fred, I didn’t think you would be embarrassed by slander and hate, as long as it were pronounced by those who agree with you.

But here’s an interesting example of how Katie gets it wrong (hateful or not) in the interest of slander:

It was no surprise Pope let the buildings go. He was very sympathetic to their wish to leave, which they attributed to anger over the ordination of women, the new prayer book and fears of what new heresy The Episcopal Church might commit next.

Let’s ignore the simple reality that Bp. Pope also let the substantial mortgage on the new church building go with the parish, who voted unanimously to convert. Here’s from a letter from the priest who actually led the parish through the transition:

I must make it absolutely clear that David Virtue has completely misrepresented the reasons for the 1991 decision by my parish to leave the Episcopal Church and to seek Full Communion with the Roman Catholic Church under the terms of the Pastoral Provison.

Finally, we have the greatest affection and regard for Clarence Pope. He is someone who has suffered much for the Church and the Church’s travails; and we are truly delighted to be reunited in communion with him.

It seems Bishop Pope is torn between two loves. His love for the Episcopal people and congregations and his love for what he has come to have faith in as the Truth. For some choosing in a situation like this is easy. But for others it is soul wrenching and disorienting.
    As a Catholic I simply pray for him that he be able to discern God’s Will for him in strong enough manner to be at peace with himself and with God.

This is deeply pathetic - ‘pathetic’ both in the sense of arousing strong feelings of pity and compassion and in the sense of arousing fairly strong feelings of ...

Yes, this is actually the THIRD time that Bishop Pope has “swum the Tiber.”

Well, I for one wish him the snorkel of faith, the flippers of hope and the inflatable arm bands of charity.