In the latest synod of the Diocese of Niagara, the diocese’s dealings with ANiC parishes – which have taken place mainly in the courts – were enumerated for the benefit of the synod delegates:

• Litigation with ANC – these comments are on public record
• Feb 08 – 3 congregations withdrew
• Preliminary Court hearings took place in Feb and then in March 08
• She ruled on the sharing the buildings by D of N and ANC – costs to be paid by withdrawing congregations.  Application for appeal was denied and costs were awarded.  The wardens of the withdrawing congregations are the defendants
• St. Peter’s later passed a motion to withdraw in June of 08
• Costs have been adjudicated in one case – in favour of the diocese 20,000.  This has been paid.  Our request was for 180,000.  The justice was looking at whether these costs are to be assumed personally by the wardens.  We do not have a decision yet from the judge.
• There is a provision if there is a difficulty in the interim arrangements – this can go before an arbitrator.  We have given a list of things that need to go before the arbitrator.
• The network lawyer has an application to move the court case from Hamilton to Milton.  This application is to be heard on Apr 5.  We oppose this.
• There is a case in the Diocese of New Westminster.  In our case we applied for our right to hold these parishes.  In their case the network are plaintiff and the diocese is the defendant.  That matter is to be heard in May.
• We continue to work with the people of St. Peter’s to bring them into the main body of the litigation.
• If we get a decision on costs in a reasonable period of time – there would be a possibility that we will be in court in the fall of 2009 – on the main action.  That is optimistic.
• Everything in this report is on public record.
• No questions

There is nothing much new in this; the unnerving part is that there were no questions. After a litany of institutional persecution of Christian brethren at the cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars, no-one could think of anything to say.

Perhaps there was something in the water.