by Solange De Santis, staff writer
Anglican Journal
April 21, 2008
Archbishop Fred Hiltz, primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, has asked South
American archbishop Gregory Venables to cancel a scheduled visit to Canada this
week and "stop interfering in the life of this province."
In a letter dated April 21, Archbishop Hiltz noted that Archbishop Venables,
primate of the Province of the Southern Cone (the southern part of South
America) is to participate in an Anglican Network in Canada conference in
Vancouver April 25 to 26.
The network is a group of 15 churches that have decided to leave the Canadian
church over theological differences including attitudes toward homosexuality.
Archbishop Hiltz wrote that "your visit to Canada is without any reference to or
consent from my office or that of the bishop of the diocese of New Westminster.
This represents a breach in what is considered normative in protocol among
primates and bishops throughout the (Anglican) Communion."
Archbishop Venables, reached by telephone in Buenos Aires, where the province is
based, said he did not intend to cancel his visit. "I don't see any reason to
call off the trip. I was invited to share with people who have already separated
from the Canadian church. I wouldn't have done anything had they not already
separated," he said.
Contacting Archbishop Hiltz or diocesan bishop Michael Ingham was unnecessary,
he said, since he is "not meeting with people who are members of the Anglican
Church of Canada." He added, "I didn't encourage them to separate; I simply
received their request (to join the Southern Cone)." He said his activities at
the conference, called "Compelled by Christ's Love" would be "to be with them,
to talk and share and listen."
"This (visit) emphasizes the strained relations (between the Anglican Church of
Canada and the network) as opposed to offering any kind of help or assistance,"
said Archdeacon Feheley, speaking for Archbishop Hiltz, who was out of town.
Mr. Feheley pointed out that Archbishop Hiltz' letter referred to the Windsor
Report on communion which asked archbishops and bishops who believe it is their
conscientious duty to intervene in other provinces "to seek an accommodation
with the bishops of the diocese whose parishes they have taken into their own
care."
According to a media advisory from the network about the conference, "Archbishop
Venables will celebrate and worship with us, as will a number of other global
Anglican Communion leaders. Our time together will culminate ... in a special
service of celebration, commissioning and communion." Archbishop Hiltz said in
the letter that "your visit at this time will further harm the strained
relations between the Anglican Church of Canada and the Anglican Network in
Canada."Archbishop Hiltz said his request came "with strong support from the
house of bishops," which just concluded its spring meeting in Niagara Falls,
Ont. The bishops' discussion about Archbishop Venables' visit was closed to the
public.
Mr. Feheley said the primate introduced the issue and although there was no
vote, there was a "sense of consensus" in the meeting that the letter should be
sent.
Mr. Feheley said Archbishop Hiltz noted that on April 10, the bishops of the
Episcopal Anglican Church of Brazil strongly criticized a visit by Archbishop
Venables to the city of Recife. A statement issued by the Brazilian bishops said
that Archbishop Venables "took part in and celebrated at official occasions
outside his province without the knowledge and consent of the archbishop of the
Province of Brazil and this house of bishops." In 2004, then-diocesan bishop
Robinson Cavalcanti tried to take the diocese of Recife out of the Brazilian
church. Bishop Cavalcanti was deposed, or removed from office, after an
investigation and ecclesiastical court process.
Archbishop Hiltz' letter also noted that the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan
Williams, earlier stated that "I do not endorse any cross-provincial transfers
of allegiance and that this office and that of the Anglican Communion recognize
one ecclesial body in Canada as a constitutive member of the communion, the
Anglican Church of Canada."
The letter said that Canadian bishops have made provision for those "who find
themselves in conscientious disagreement with the view of their bishop and synod
over matters of human sexuality." The process, called shared episcopal ministry,
provides for diocesan bishops to invite another bishop to minister to
disaffected parishes.
END
No comments:
Post a Comment