Married US priest to lead converts is named by Pope

A married American priest was appointed by Pope Benedict to lead the first U.S. Personal Ordinariate based in Texas, for Anglicans converting to Roman Catholicism.

Reverend Jeffrey Steenson will head the Ordinariate which will allow Anglicans to convert to Catholicism while retaining some Anglican traditions.

The first Ordinariate of this kind was set up in Britain last year and the concept was created by the Pope for Anglicans disagreeing with certain decisions being made by Anglicanism.

Steenson was previously an Episcopalian Bishop in New Mexico but the father of three stepped down in 2007 after the Church elected its first openly gay bishop.

Anglicans have been said to disagree with certain directions being taken by Anglicanism such as the ordination of women and gay bishops in some countries.

Australia and Canada are also considering ordinariates.