The ACC and APCK Take Over ACCC (TAC) Parishes in Joint Venture
April 11, 2012 12 Comments
Opportunistic, but Continuing Anglicanism doing what it always seems to do, I suppose. Peter Karl T. Perkins brings us:
… a real shock
And more:
There now appears to be a four-way split, not counting those who may have simply slipped off to independent congregations (if any, or if many). In B.C., Canon Sinclair (now called ‘Fr. Stan’) in Victoria and Fr. Peter Sandercock at Nanaimo, both on Vancouver Island, are part of the Anglican Province of Christ the King, under Abp. Provence. The group at Victoria celebrates its services at St. Mark Church, which happens to be the Orangemen’s Hall. The Orangemen are sort of Freemasons who prefer violence, no?
Former TAC groups in Ontario and the Mainland of B.C. are now part of the Anglican-Catholic Church, Original Province, under Abp. Haverland. Fr. David Marriott is their priest for Halfmoon Bay and Pitt Meadows, B.C. In Ontario, they have groups at Belleville, Chapleau (former TAC group before its priest died), Ottawa, Parry Sound and Thunder Bay. The priests are Frs. James Gibbons, Peter Jardine, Robert Mansfield, Frank Moore, and James Chantler. Some or all of these were once TAC priests. The names are all familiar to me.
There is confusion even on the local level. For instance, Holy Cross Parish at Nanaimo is already renamed St. Athanasius on its own website.
It would appear that the two Provinces are about to merge…
It would appear that Haverland and Provence have scooped up the TAC in Ontario. In the Vancouver area and the Victoria area, there are now groups staying in the TAC, going to Haverland-Provence and going with the Ordinariate. I joke about Anglicans worshipping in callboxes but you should see their ‘chapel’ at Halfmoon Bay. It does indeed appear to be about thrice the size of a telephone booth. It is a potent symbol of the future of the TAC, as is worship in fuernal homes.
With Bishop Peter Wilkinson and Bishop Carl Reid leading their flock to the safe home that is the Ordinariate this Sunday coming, I believe that leaves only Bishop Craig Botterill for the ACCC (TAC), with the ACC and APCK picking off of the remnant, seemingly at will.
Some may go as far as calling it: Good old fashion sheep-stealing.
Archbishop Mark Haverland (ACC) and Archbishop James Provence (APCK)
About Fr Stephen Smuts
If you are a sheep whose shepherd decides to desert you, leaving the sheepfold empty and unprotected, the flock of sheep has to try and find a new shepherd. It is not sheep stealing when the sheep seek the new shepherd to give the care and support which they so urgently need, especially when the request to provide this care comes from those who are left wandering in the wilderness.
Father, herein lies the problem. Every TAC parish (and I say parish for, far and wide, it is clear that parishes all stand alone, paying but mere lip service to the greater Dioceses – the St Mary of the Angels as a point in case here) face(d) one of two choices:
1) Follow through on Unity with Rome (where Ordinariates are available).
2) Stay.
Jumping ship is the now added option. Typical and quite acceptable in a Protestant ethos, however, even then, before God, loyalties, motives and fidelities should be brought into question. All the Continuing Anglicans claim Catholicity, Apostolicity and Oneness (or a part thereof). This is a lie. The Orthodox creeds of Christendom well profess a total abhorrence of and for schism (cf. also John 17:20-23; 1 Cor 1:10-13). And behaviour such as is being exhibited now in Canada well makes the point.
How is it that you feel abandoned Fr when it is clear – and has been from the beginning – that there would be a faithful TAC remnant with a Bishop to look after you? Only self (me-ism) or personal issues would lead one to Church-hop, and where, if I may ask, will it end? In the APCK? Or the ACC? And if things don’t work out there(?!), I suppose there’s a myriad of other Continuing Anglican Churches from which to choose, all diligently following the spirit of St Louis, minus the unity… fractured and anarchical.
This not what true Christianity is about. Not at all.
‘Now I beg of you, my brothers, mark those who are actively causing schisms and occasions of stumbling contrary to the teaching you learned. Have nothing to do with them because they are not serving our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own agenda. By slick words and plausible speeches they are able to deceive the hearts of innocent people’ – (Rom. 16:17-18).
Father,
You misunderstand: when I speak of the sheep being abandoned, this refers to the experiences of the two parishes I now take care of in an interim capacity.
As for myself, and several other clergy, we were excommunicated/de-licensed/told that if we didn’t support the ordinariate we should leave: there was no other option until very recently when Fr. Shane Janzen in Victoria declared that he was not going to the ordinariate, and Bp. Botterill decided likewise: this move and an ensuing failed attempt to remove Fr. Janzen is what provoked the ACCC to take the recent decision to set up the two choices you enumerate: two years almost since the debate started. Fort me, I felt that the goal of these actions were to disappear any clergy who did not accept the terms of the apostolic constitution with no discussion of the validity or otherwise of their decision.
I do not doubt that the Screwtape and Wormwood responsible have been handsomely paid for the damage they have inflicted.
If all goes as I hope, I will be present for the reception of the parish at Oshawa on 22 April. they have been through a lot up there.
Mmmmm…..
Continuing Anglican cannibalism.
Continuing Anglicans are just that…Continuing, I don’t see a problem here, if they want to be together? And us Low Church Anglicans know that uniformity, is not necessarily unity at all. Indeed the Church Catholic must always be in “spirit and truth”!
When the bishops and synod of the Anglican Catholic Church of Canada made it clear that it was “Rome or bust”, and the members of the ACCC who simply wanted to continue as traditional Anglicans were faced with the prospect of converting to Roman Catholicism or lingering on within the ACCC in a kind of twilit, demoralizing dhimmitude with no certain future, the continuers turned in desperation to Archbishops Provence and Haverland, and they graciously, or, if you prefer, with just common decency, responded with pastoral and sacramental care. The Canadians approached and entreated them, not vice versa! How is giving aid and shelter to an outcast who knocks on your door a crime? How is this a “takeover” or “sheep-stealing”? And how would you then characterize “Anglicanorum Coetibus”? My earnest hope and prayer is that the TAC in its new set up will enter into serious discussions for unity with the ACC-OP, APCK, and UECNA – i.e. the other St. Louis churches. What we have in common is much greater than what divides us.
Divison is what you have in common.
A TAC priest lecturing others on division?!? Now I’ve heard everything.
So speaking the (Biblical) truth constitutes lecturing? Well, its remains the truth, whether you or I or anyone else for that matter will listen. The Church was not meant to be divided. Sorry that you have never heard this before.
Division, is the reality of the Visible and even historic Church! We cannot bury our heads in the ground, or join Rome and think all is well, and this is just over! And the East/West divide still exists! And for those of us that are Anglican and so-called Low Church, we don’t see unity solely around only “visible” Bishops, but spiritual and bibliccal-theological position and reality. I myself would maintain that even the very first century church, was somewhat independent in their apostolic unity, noting the tension of James and Paul even Barnabas with Paul, John and Peter, etc., seeing Galatians chapter 2, etc. (2:7-9). And to my mind, I just don’t see how we can give St. Peter, alone, the Head of the Church, in the ecclesiastical sense. Noting, Gal. 2:11-14, etc.
And in the Reformed history, even though it was in the 16th century, Calvin’s debate with Sadoleto is still worth reading! Let us in some measure respect the visible and even theological differences in the so-called Church Catholic & Ecumenical!
Gotta love Protestants. They all hate the Pope but they all want to be one!