Category Archives: Diocese of Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador

Father Jonathan Rowe is eager to perform same-sex marriages

Posted on by
6

The rector St. Michael’s and All Angels Anglican Church in St. John’s can’t wait to get started; we must assume the queue of same-sex couples outside the church demanding ecclesiastical approval of their coupling is so long it’s causing traffic congestion.

There’s one thing to be said in Rowe’s favour: at least he’s honest about what the Anglican Church of Canada is up to:

Father Jonathan Rowe says it’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when for the Anglican Church of Canada to allow for same-sex marriage in its parishes

Most clergy are too timid to admit this.

The principle under which Rowe seems to be operating is that if something is legal in Canada, the church should approve of it. Same-sex marriage is legal in Canada. But then, so is smoking cannabis, abortion, adultery and pornography.

From the CBC:

One Anglican parish in St. John’s is ready to allow same-sex couples to get married under its roof — but is caught in the middle of a waiting game.

Same-sex marriage has been legal in Canada since 2005.

“Things seems to take a long time to happen in the church, and for an institution that’s 2,000 years old, that kind of makes sense,” said Father Jonathan Rowe, rector at St. Michael’s and All Angels Anglican Church in St. John’s.

Rowe said the Anglican Church has been having conversations regarding human sexuality, same-sex unions and most recently, same-sex marriage.

On Sunday, Rowe’s parish passed a motion during their annual meeting to request permission from the Bishop of Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador to, “offer the sacrament of Holy Matrimony to all couples who are legally entitled to marry in Canada, as soon as such an option becomes possible in this diocese.”

Diocese of Eastern Newfoundland steadily closing churches

Posted on by
5

Or, to use voguish Ecclesi-Speak, it is repurposing them. If the bishop does manage to find a purpose for his churches it will be a first for the ACoC, an organisation that has been meandering aimlessly in a theological wilderness of solipsistic ecclesiolatry for decades now.

From here:

The Anglican Diocese of Eastern Newfoundland will discuss ways to develop greater community partnerships under the possibility of repurposing or divesting themselves of their current inventory of property and buildings.

Bishop Geoff Peddle says this month’s Synod will examine the ongoing process of decided what they keep with them “on the journey forward.”

Four parishes in Trinity South recently closed their churches, choosing instead to amalgamate into the repurposed Epiphany Elementary school in Heart’s Delight-Islington.

Bishop Peddle says they have seven parish churches in the St. John’s area, and they’re working with parishes on how to reshape themselves into the future.

Synod takes place April 21 to the 24 in Mount Pearl and St. John’s.

More here.

Bishop Cyrus Pitman to retire

Posted on by
19

From here:

The bishop of the Anglican diocese of Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador, Cyrus Pitman, has announced his retirement effective this November.

In a letter to members of his diocese, Pitman said that he has informed Archbishop Claude Miller, Metropolitan of the Ecclesiastical Province of Canada, that the diocesan synod scheduled this November 15 to 16 will elect a new diocesan bishop.

“My resignation as Bishop will be effective the date we elect a new bishop,” said Pitman.

On June 12,  2004, Pitman was elected co-adjutor bishop of the diocese, with automatic right of succession to the office of diocesan bishop. He became diocesan bishop when then bishop, Donald Harvey, retired in November that same year.

At the height of the controversy over same-sex blessings, which led to the departure of some clergy and laypeople – including the former bishop –  the quiet and soft-spoken Pitman surprised many when he asked clergy in his diocese to declare their loyalty to the Anglican Church of Canada as they renewed their ordination vows and renewed their licences.

“Today, my friends, is a fresh start,” he had said in his sermon at a mandatory gathering held Jan. 21,  2008 at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in St. John’s, Nfld. “It’s not a power grab as has been suggested by some. Whether someone is of a conservative bent or a liberal bent or some other bent, whatever these labels mean, I will support you… But let’s not make any mistake about it. There are boundaries.”

It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that Pitman’s “boundaries” had little to do with maintaining the integrity of the Christian faith in the Anglican Church of Canada and, notwithstanding his protestation to the contrary, a lot to do with the exercise of power. As Malcolm Muggeridge observed: “you can choose love or you can choose power; you can’t have both”. Pitman chose power.

On January 10 2008, Pitman wrote to his clergy demanding their allegiance:

In what could be the start of real schism in the Anglican Church, a Newfoundland bishop is demanding clergy come to the provincial capital to declare whether their loyalties lie with him or his predecessor, the leader of a breakaway conservative movement.

“Attendance at these gatherings is mandatory,” Cyrus Pitman, bishop of Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador warns in a Dec. 18 letter to clergy obtained by the Star.

Clergy from Eastern Newfoundland’s 33 parishes are to be in St. John’s on Jan. 21 to restate their ordination vows and to get new licences, with a date for those from the six Labrador parishes yet to be set.

Clergy need a licence from the church to minister to a parish or perform marriages.

On April 10 2008, Pitman fired one of his priests for upholding Biblical standards:

The Rev. Darrel Critch, Rector at St. Mary the Virgin on Craigmillar Avenue, St John’s, Newfoundland has been removed from his position by Bp. Pitman and Archdeacon Peddle.

This happened on the evening of Thursday the 10th of April at an emergency Vestry Meeting called by Bishop Pitman. Archdeacon Peddle showed up at the meeting and shortly thereafter Rev. Critch was relieved from his duties. Archdeacon Peddle has now been appointed administrator of St. Mary’s.

Why? Well what I have heard is that Rev. Critch made a stand on the Scriptures and removed a couple from choir who were living together in an immoral relationship.

In July 2008, Pitman, in a fit of ecclesiastical McCarthyism, made an attempt to compile a register of lay people who had left the Anglican Church of Canada to make sure that none of them exercise any ministry in an ACoC diocese:

LAY RELINQUISHMENTS
Lay people who have also left the Anglican Church of Canada are asked to indicate their intentions to the Bishop who will maintain a register for future information.
It seems clear to us that lay people who leave also relinquish their privilege to be part of any Ministry that they have been allowed to perform.

After an illustrious career devoted to erecting boundaries designed to discourage undesirables – once ejected – from obstinately straying back into the Anglican Church of Canada, the bishop has decided to take a rest and retire.