PITTSBURGH: Diocese Completes Non-Disciplinary Release Of Clergy
Diocese releases 135 clergy

November 3, 2009

Today the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh formally released 135 priests and deacons who have not been active in the Episcopal Church since October of last year.

In letters being mailed today from Bishop Kenneth L. Price, Jr. to each of the affected clergy, the diocese is making good on its offer to release the individuals from their licensed ministry in the Episcopal Church in a way that does not involve disciplinary action.

"The Diocese will proceed to notify the Recorder of Ordinations to remove you from the list of clergy licensed to exercise ordained ministry in The Episcopal Church," Bishop Price writes in his letter.

He continues, "I confirm that it was for causes which do not affect your moral character [and] does not affect your ordination, which is indelible."

In the offer of release made last month, the clergy were told they can register their ordinations "with whatever entity you choose."

Bishop Price's letter today invites reconciliation with any of them at any time.

"There are canonical procedures that can be followed to receive you and again license you to practice ordained ministry in The Episcopal Church," Bishop Price write, "and my door will always be open for such a conversation with you."

Nothing in today's announcement completing the release of these clergy from the Episcopal Church affects the legal status of the parishes where they serve. A 2005 Stipulation and Court Order provides a mechanism that the Diocese must follow in the event that a parish seeks to disaffiliate from the Episcopal Church, and the Diocese announced separately on October 9, 2009 that it intends to follow those procedures.

Additional information

A PDF of the October 5, 2009, offer of release is available at http://www.episcopalpgh.org/wp-content/uploads/file/Documents/CanonIII_9_8%20letter100509.pdf


*****

PITTSBURGH: Episcopal Diocese releases secessionist clergy from vows

By Ann Rodgers,
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09308/1010566-53.stm#ixzz0W07Kt8Kn
November 4, 2009

The Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh has given clergy of the Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh an unwanted gift: release from licensed ministry in the Episcopal Church.

The gesture is symbolic, since the Anglican clergy left the Episcopal Church in 2008, when the majority of voters at the diocesan convention chose to secede from the denomination. Leaders of the minority who remained Episcopal say they want to remove the Anglicans from their rolls without using disciplinary charges of "abandonment of communion," as was done elsewhere.

Yesterday Bishop Kenneth Price Jr., of the Episcopal diocese sent letters of release to 135 priests and deacons.

This release "was for causes which do not affect your moral character [and] does not affect your ordination, which is indelible," he wrote. Should any clergy desire to return to the Episcopal Church "my door will always be open for such a conversation."

While Anglican leaders say they appreciate the gracious tone of the offer, they believe it is a suspect use of a canon written for clergy who want to renounce their ordination. Few responded to the first offer that the Episcopal diocese made last month.

"It's unfortunate that we're in this situation, but it is asking us to renounce our vows, which we cannot do," said the Rev. Mary Hays, canon to the ordinary for the Anglican diocese.

"They're interpreting the canon in a way that it's not been interpreted before. We're all in a tough place, but our clergy have not abandoned their ordination vows."

The split occurred because then-Bishop Robert Duncan and most diocesan officials believed the Episcopal Church had failed to uphold biblical doctrines on matters ranging from salvation to sexuality. After secession the Anglican diocese joined the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone in South America. Both the Southern Cone and the Episcopal Church belong to the 80 million-member global Anglican Communion.

The Anglican diocese also has joined the new Anglican Church in North America, which seeks recognition as a province of the Anglican Communion and which is led by now-Archbishop Duncan of Pittsburgh. On Saturday the Anglican diocese will vote on a proposal to affiliate solely with the Anglican Church in North America, while Archbishop Duncan would also remain a bishop of the Southern Cone.

Ann Rodgers can be reached at arodgers@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1416.