Senior Church of England bishops have held talks in secret with Vatican officials to discuss the crisis in the Anglican Communion over gays and female bishops.

The Daily Telegraph of London reports that, “they met senior advisors of the Pope in an attempt to build closer ties with the Roman Catholic Church … Dr. Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, was not told of the talks and the disclosure will be a fresh blow to his efforts to prevent a major split in the Church of England.”

A group of conservative bishops, in highly confidential discussions, expressed dismay at the liberal direction of the Church of England and are fearful about its future.

Members of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, the Vatican’s most powerful department, met the Anglican bishops.

The news was revealed on the eve of a critical vote as members of the General Synod - the Church of England’s parliament - prepare to decide whether to permit women to be bishops without offering concessions to staunch opponents.

About 600 clergy signed a warning letter to Archbishop Williams that they may depart from the Church unless they receive a legal right to stop women from becoming bishops.

To read the entire article from the Daily Telegraph, link here:

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