‘Pope will beatify Cardinal Newman in England’
“Pope Benedict XVI will preside at the beatification ceremony of Cardinal John Henry Newman in Coventry, England, during a four-day visit to the United Kingdom in September, British Catholic leaders have said…
His beatification was announced in July after the Vatican declared that the inexplicable healing of Deacon Jack Sullivan of Marshfield, Mass., from a crippling spinal condition was the result of Cardinal Newman’s intercession.” – Report from NZ Catholic.
Related: The saint(s) go marching in – by Bishop Glenn Davies.
(Photo: University College Dublin.)
San Joaquin ‘diocese’ sues for return of ‘church’ property
The Episcopal News Service provides the TEC version of the latest lawsuit –
“The parish litigation is in addition to pending litigation brought by the diocese and by the Episcopal Church against the former bishop, John-David Schofield, which is now before the Fifth District Court of Appeal for review of the trial court’s determination that: (a) Bishop Lamb is the Bishop of the Diocese and incumbent of the Corporation Sole and other Diocesan entities; and (b) the attempts to modify the diocesan constitution and canons and articles of incorporation of the Corporation Sole to disaffiliate the Episcopal Diocese from the Episcopal Church were null and void.”
(Photo: Bishop Jerry Lamb of the TEC remnant diocese of San Joaquin greets TEC Presiding Bishop Katherine Jefferts Schori – Episcopal Life Online.)
Far-flung flock
Bishop David Mulready is featured in the February–March 2010 edition of R.M. Williams’ Outback magazine. It’s a refreshingly positive article.
“David Mulready pulls on his purple polo shirt, adjusts his Akubra and sets off to tend to his flock in the heat and red dirt. He’s mustering, but not the Santa Gertudis and the Brahman and Black Angus cattle that abound on the vast stations of Australia’s north and west, which is his beat. It’s the people who live in this remote area that he’s off to care for.
David is an Anglican clergyman and he is the bishop of North West Australia, responsible for the world’s largest landed diocese.…”
You can download it as a 1.1MB PDF file, courtesy of Editor-in-Chief Mark Muller.
(Photo: Maureen and David Mulready and friends at Wyndham.)
Glasspool receives required number of consents
“Diocese of Los Angeles Bishop Suffragan-elect Mary Douglas Glasspool has received the required number of consents from diocesan standing committees to her ordination and consecration, pending verification by the presiding bishop’s office…”
– No surprises in this story from Episcopal Life.
From a December 5 2009 Diocese of Los Angeles press release:
“The second woman to be elected a bishop in the diocese’s 114-year history, Glasspool is also the first openly partnered lesbian to be elected a bishop in the Episcopal Church…”
South Carolina Resolutions to respond to Schori
The Diocese of South Carolina’s annual convention will consider five resolutions on March 26, three of which stress diocesan authority amid conflicts with Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori.
In proposing one resolution, the diocese’s standing committee calls it a “Response to Ecclesiastical Intrusions by the Presiding Bishop.” That resolution refers to the diocese’s “legal and ecclesiastical authority as a sovereign diocese within the Episcopal Church,” adds that “the Presiding Bishop has no authority to retain attorneys in this Diocese that present themselves as the legal counsel for the Episcopal Church in South Carolina,” and demands that she “drop the retainer of all such legal counsel in South Carolina as has been obtained contrary to the express will of this Diocese.” …
– Full report from The Living Church.
(Photo of Bishop Mark Lawrence: Diocese of South Carolina.)
Archbishop Kwashi on the attacks in Jos
Channel 4 in the UK conducted a telephone interview with Archbishop Ben Kwashi in Jos in central Nigeria, on the violence that has seen hundreds of people killed in the last few days. (h/t Anglican Mainstream.)
Prayer is urged.
Anglican Mainstream on Bishop James Jones’ statements
Anglican Mainstream’s response to the Bishop of Liverpool’s address to his synod last week –
“Anglican Mainstream, whilst acknowledging that Bishop Jones reflects a way of thinking which is gaining ground amongst some English evangelicals, considers it deeply flawed in terms of both teaching and practice.…”
There’s also a selection of comments on Bishop Jones’ Presidential Address. (Related.)
CASE Conference: Christian Perspectives at the End of Life
From the Centre for Apologetic Scholarship and Education:
“As treatment of disease improves and life expectancy is extended, many of us will face difficult decisions about life and death. Moral dilemmas abound and ethical choices need to be made. Many of these issues are often news items in the media. This second annual conference is based on our conviction that providing a Christian perspective on medical ethics is essential for the public debate and discourse.”
– Read more on the CASE Conference on Medical Ethics – Saturday 27 March 2010. (Registrations close on March 17.)
Time to get Faith Book (re-post)
The Diocese of North West Australia has launched Faith Book, a 36 page book of “Stories of Faith written for the Centenary of the Anglican Church of North West Australia, 1910–2010”.
Very encouraging and a good aid in praying for the people of the North West. Copies are only $5 each, posted, and are available from the Diocesan office.
Graham Miller: A Day’s March Nearer Home
Many in the Presbyterian Church and beyond will know the name of the Rev. Dr. J. Graham Miller — missionary, preacher and pastor. He was minister of St Giles Hurstville from 1974–1980.
The Rev. Iain Murray has recently completed the editing of Dr. Miller’s autobiography, ‘A Day’s March Nearer Home’, to be published by Banner of Truth.
The book will be launched on Tuesday 16th March at 7:30pm at the Hurstville Presbyterian Church — corner Park Road and MacMahon Street, Hurstville. This will include a talk from Rev. Iain Murray – ‘J. Graham Miller: Life and Lessons’. Supper will be provided.
For enquiries please call 9580 1425. Read more
Louisville Episcopal church first to bless same-sex relationship
“A Louisville congregation has quietly become the first in the Episcopal Diocese of Kentucky to begin blessing same-sex relationships …”
– Report from The Louisville Courier-Journal in Kentucky.
(Photo: Rev. Lucinda Laird and Bishop of Kentucky Ted Gulick at St. Matthew’s Louisville.)
Church Society on Religious Ceremonies for Civil Partnerships
Press Release from the Church Society – 5 March 2010
Religious Ceremonies for Civil Partnerships.
Earlier this week parliament voted to lift a ban on religious ceremonies being conducted for civil partnerships.
Because of other legislation in recent years, purporting to be about equality, this latest change will create an even more difficult environment for Christians. Clergy of the established Church will be under particular pressure to conduct services which they in conscience believe to be wrong. They may face the threat of legal action if they insist on following their conscience. Parliament has increasingly sought to interfere in religious affairs.
We remain convinced that the recognition of Civil Partnerships by the state was a grave mistake and one which our nation will come to regret. It is one of a number of policies that have undermined families. Families are the fundamental building block of society. The collapse of families and family life is having terrible consequences for individuals, particularly children, and will erode society further. In this, as in other areas, we are witnessing political leaders who are abandoning the wisdom of God in preference for the folly of man.
For many Christians, the anti-Christian nature of recent legislation, supported by all the main political parties, creates a particular problem. The mainstream parties have all abandoned the Christian moral tradition and the Biblical foundations of our legal and education systems. Christians will not want to vote for political parties who are antagonistic to their beliefs and who are acting to prevent Christians living in accordance with their faith.
Broome needs the bread of life (re-post)
(We’re posting this again, just in case you missed it two weeks ago…)
Tim Mildenhall, Archdeacon of the Kimberley and Senior Minister of Broome Anglican Church, has a request for your prayerful consideration –
“Phil Brewster, 69yo local minister of the People’s Church, and Brethren missionary, faithful minister of the gospel in the Kimberley for 25 years, told me today that he and his wife plan to leave Broome for Perth this time next year. He is trusting God to bring someone to Broome to pick up the mantle of indigenous ministry here in the town.
Broome Anglican Church wants to recruit an appropriate minister to take up this opportunity…
Without a gospel centred, Bible teaching ministry amongst indigenous folk, other kinds of ministries (or none) will take people away and deprive others of hearing of Christ.”
Download this 900kb PDF file to read the rest – and to get Tim’s contact details. And please pray that the right man will be found to minister in this key work.
Help for Chile
March 4, 2010
Archbishop of Sydney calls concerned people to help Chile Earthquake Victims
Archbishop Dr. Peter Jensen is asking Sydney Anglicans and their friends to respond generously to earthquake victims in Chile.
Our diocese has very close connections with the Diocese of Chile through our CMS Missionaries, Chileans who have studied at Moore College, and with the Chilean Diocesan Leadership.
Archbishop Jensen has been monitoring the situation with the Primate of the Province, Archbishop Greg Venables, and the Bishop of Chile, Tito Zavala.
“The latest reports indicate that in Concepcion, where the earthquake was at its most destructive, four Anglican congregations have been camping in groups together. They are sharing a very limited supply of food and water ” said Dr Jensen.
Now is the time to help, and give generously to the Archbishop of Sydney’s Relief to Victims in Chile Appeal. Your gift to The Archbishop’s Overseas Relief and Aid Fund (ORAF) will enable the Bishop of Chile to provide ongoing assistance to those hardest hit and in greatest need.
Please make your donation online by visiting the Archbishop of Sydney’s Appeals Unit website, www.abau.org.au and following the links, or by calling 9284 1406 or our toll free number 1800 653 903.
Dr Peter F Jensen
Archbishop
(By e-mail.)
Read more about the situation in Chile from CMS NSW, Anglican Mainstream, and SydneyAnglicans.net.
StuTube for March 2010
Bishop Stuart Robinson, of the Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn, has posted online this month’s video message for the members of the churches in his diocese.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…