Untitled - Rore Sanctifica

Spirit in which Re-union should be sought. 215
It may, therefore, be rationally allowed that
J 7 7 *
on both sides for Eoman Catholics, them
selves isolated for so long from their Anglican
brethren, are as unprepared for Corporate Re
union as ourselves much more work must be
done ; the whole question must be patiently
and constantly ventilated before success can
come or the Day of Peace can dawn.
Moreover, until a broad and truly Catholic
view be taken of the relations which exist
between the various parts
of the Christian
Family, much labour in endeavouring to pro
mote Re-union may be spent in vain. In such
a survey History and Philosophy must come to
our aid. For ten centuries the Church Uni
versal was visibly One. Now, however, from
the Anglican point of view, already denned, it
is divided into three great communions, sub
stantially agreed in faith, but yet differing from
each other in several particulars.
It appears
certain that two of them and probably the
whole three, for various reasons, and from dif
ferent causes, have drifted away from that
which was anciently held and taught,
in
common, by the whole. To their state of sepa
ration, freed from valuable checks and benefi
cial
safeguards which an unbroken union with
other parts of the Church would have provided,
it was unavoidable that each separated com
munion when left to itself should experience a