Members of an entire Anglican community in southern England are taking up an offer by the Pope to convert to Roman Catholicism.
The congregation of St Peter's at Folkestone voted to defect because they resent the creation of women bishops.
The Pope's unexpected offer came a year ago amid dissent within the
global Anglican community over whether women first ordained as priests
in 1994 could become bishops.
The offer allows converts to keep some Anglican practices and traditionalists claim that it could lead to a mass exodus.
St Peter's in Folkestone has now become the first congregation to ask to join the Roman Catholic church as a group.
Its move came as a traditionalist bishop in London also announced his intention to convert.
SIC: BBC/UK