Group Hopeful on Action on Women Priests
Episcopal News Service. February 11, 1976 [76048]
ATLANTA, Ga. -- "We feel good about it," said the Rev. George F. Regas, at the close of a three-day meeting of the National Coalition for Women's Ordination to the Priesthood and Episcopacy in the Episcopal Church.
"We are geared up by our optimism that by September of this year, we can gather enough support to pass our resolution, thereby affirming the right of women to be ordained as priests and consecrated as bishops in the Episcopal Church."
The group to whom Dr. Regas spoke included lay persons, bishops, priests and deacons, members of the Policy Board as well as regional organizers for the National Coalition.
They were gathered in Atlanta from January 28 through 30 in preparation for the presentation of their resolution to the General Convention of the Episcopal Church in Minnesota in September of 1976. This resolution calls for the adoption of a statement interpreting the canons governing ordination and consecration as being equally applicable to women and men.
With still-incomplete information, those present saw an encouraging picture emerging as to how the more than 100 dioceses were likely to stand on the issue at the time of the opening of Convention on September 11.
"We are optimistic enough that I am ready to go out and gather the funds necessary to the continued success of this operation," stated the Rev. Hunsdon Cary, chairman of the group's committee on funding. "I leave here confident that I will be able to accomplish this task."
An estimate of the amount required to support the Coalition's efforts up to and including Convention is $30,000.
The Rev. Patricia Merchant Park, Alexandria, Va., a deacon and co-chairperson of the Coalition, said the Coalition is organizing to seek grassroots support for the issue of ordination.
"Our feeling is we would like the church to know" ordination "is a deep issue that a lot of people are committed to, " she said.
The Rev. Canon R. Stewart Wood, Jr., Indianapolis, added that although many groups believe that an individual diocese already has the right to ordain women, the Coalition is "trying to work for unity, so that splinter groups won't have to happen in the life of the Church."
He said that many people are at work throughout the country campaigning for the ordination of women to the priesthood and episcopacy, and that each meeting of the Coalition "gives us a chance to catch up and share insights and understanding about where the Church is on the issue."
Dr. Regas said of the Coalition, "Our group wants to work through the system -- through the laws of the Church -- so that the Church gives its highest blessing to women priests."
In reply to the question of willingness to accept a compromise vote on constitutional change at Minnesota, the Rev. Dr. Regas, chairman of the Coalition, replied:
" The day for the Church to move by constitutional change is over. This is no longer a viable option for the Church. The urgency of the issue requires that we come away from General Convention with all restrictions having been removed, so that we can proceed without delay to ordain women to the priesthood regularly and canonically."
Constitutional change requires a positive vote at two consecutive General Conventions, and would become effective on the first of January following its adoption at the second Convention, while by contrast, canonical action customarily takes effect at the beginning of the next calendar year.
Meeting with the lay and clergy membership were three of the Coalition's member bishops, the Rt. Rev. Richard M. Trelease Jr., of the Diocese of the Rio Grande; the Rt. Rev. John T. Walker, Suffragan Bishop of the Diocese of Washington (D.C.); and the Rt. Rev. Bennett J. Sims, Bishop of the Diocese of Atlanta, who appeared at the sessions immediately after having laid down the gavel at that diocese's convention, where a resolution supporting ordination of women was passed.
The regional organizers and members of the Policy Board will gather again in Chicago May 6 and 7, to make final plans for presentation of their resolution to General Convention in September.
Present at the Atlanta meeting were the following board members: The Rev. George F. Regas, chairperson, Los Angeles; the Rev. Pat Merchant Park, co-chairperson, Virginia; the Rev. Columba Gilliss, secretary, New York; the Rev. Frances Zielinski, treasurer, Chicago; the Rev. Hunsdon Cary, Jr., Southeast Florida; the Rev. William Coats, Milwaukee; Ms. Pamela Chinnis, Washington; the Rev. Robert Cooper, Milwaukee; Ms. Janice Duncan, Pennsylvania; Ms. Marge Gross, South Dakota; Dr. Marion M. Kelleran, Virginia; the Rt. Rev. Bennett J. Sims, Atlanta; the Rt. Rev. Richard M. Trelease, Jr., Rio Grande; the Rt. Rev. John T. Walker, Washington; the Rev. Canon R. Stewart Wood, Jr., Indianapolis; and the Rev. Carter Heyward, Massachusetts.
Regional organizers were present from the provinces as follows: 1, Ms. Frances Abbott; 2, Ms. Nancy Bumsted and the Rev. Wallace Frey; 3, Ms. Helen Klauk; 4, Ms. Irma Hoffman; 5, Ms. Sally Head; 6, Ms. Pat Washburn; 7, Ms. Helen Havens and Ms. Virginia Paget; 8, Ms. Jan Young.