Almost 75 years ago I was baptized into Christ's one, holy catholic church. Later, I was confirmed in that same catholic faith. Every Sunday I profess in the creedal affirmation belief in the one holy catholic and apostolic church.

By the age of 12 I felt a calling to the priesthood and after seminary, was ordained, first a deacon and then a priest. I was ordained to each order by a bishop in apostolic succession. My ordination papers certify that I was ordained in, again, the one holy catholic and apostolic church.

I have now been ordained for nearly 50 years and, while retired from the parish ministry, I still serve the diocese As a lifelong member of the Episcopal Church I was amazed to learn from The Associated Press article Oct. 21 on the front page of The Post-Crescent that, should I wish to do so, I could now become a "catholic" and a "priest," simply by joining the Roman Church. What a surprise. I always believed I was a catholic and a priest.

The Vatican offer seems a little like being told that as a resident of Wisconsin I can now become an American by moving to Virginia. As an Anglican, if I were ever to decide to join the Roman Church, I would not do so at the cost of declaring that I had never been a catholic or a priest.

Rev. Canon William M. Johnston,

Neenah