Mexico Convenes First Synod, Elects Primate
Episcopal News Service. March 16, 1995 [95043]
Jack Donovan, Communications assistant at the Episcopal News Service.
(ENS) In a "bold act of faith," the Anglican Church of Mexico took its first step as the newest autonomous province of the Anglican Communion by holding its first General Synod, February 25-26, in Mexico City. The province elected Bishop Jose G. Saucedo of Cuernavaca as its first primate. "It's the next exciting chapter of the church in Mexico," said Bishop Maurice Benitez, retired bishop of Texas who co-chaired the Mexico-Episcopal Church USA covenant committee with Saucedo.
"There is a spirit generated in the life of a church when it's no longer dependent," Benitez said. "It creates a great deal of determination to succeed and because of that, it leads to increased stewardship and evangelism." Over a three-year period, the covenant committee of 12 representatives from Mexico and four from the Episcopal Church worked out a plan for autonomy that gradually decreases financial support to the Mexican church over 25 years and arranges for the incorporation of Mexico's own pension fund.
"We separate governmental autonomy from financial autonomy," said Ricardo Potter, associate director of the Episcopal Church's Anglican and Global Relations cluster. "We found that if a church first develops the whole governmental attitude it leads to financial autonomy. People begin to make their own decisions about how money will be spent and what projects to work on and the commitment grows from that. This has proven to be true in the new provinces of Brazil and the Philippines, and originally in Japan," he said.
At the 1994 General Convention of the Episcopal Church, the five Mexican dioceses were granted permission to withdraw in order to become an autonomous province effective January 1, 1995. Recent constitutional reforms by the Mexican government have also opened new horizons for the life and mission of the church, which since 1993 enjoys its own legal status as a "religious association" and may now own property raise funds and provide social services.
According to Benitez, "Two factors told us they were ready. First, there was their great enthusiasm for autonomy. It began with a measure of apprehension, of course, because they were committing to declining financial support and that takes a bold act of faith. But as time went on apprehension was replaced by determination and great excitement." The second factor was the accumulation of a $1 million endowment, assisted by an initial UTO grant.
Potter noted that the church would still have its differences and could not now turn to his office or that of the presiding bishop for resolution. "We'll still try to help, but we'll also tell them they need to work things out for themselves." He also pointed out that difficult questions arise "after a few years when they look at what they have actually accomplished and what they set out to accomplish. But I think they will do well."
In addition to the election of its first primate, the synod adopted a constitution and canons; elected the Rev. Benito Juarez-Martinez as the first secretary of the General Synod; accepted the Episcopal Church's 1979 revision of the prayer book as its first Book of Common Prayer; approved the provincial budget for 1995; and elected its first national executive council and appointed the members of several new provincial committees.
The history of the church in Mexico is one of a parallel development during the 19th century between an Anglican presence, serving British and American citizens who had come to work in the mining, oil and railroad industries, and the Mexican Episcopal Church, which was created by a group of Mexican Roman Catholic priests and lay people who were excommunicated for promulgating the liberal constitution of 1857.
In 1904, the Episcopal Church officially established the Missionary District in Mexico, and in 1906 the Mexican Episcopal Church joined the Missionary District. As a result of this consolidation, and the Revolution of 1910 which forced almost all foreigners to abandon the country, the district became largely Mexican and Spanish-speaking.
The Episcopal Church continued to maintain the missionary diocese through this century and in 1958 Saucedo was consecrated bishop. "Thanks to his vision and leadership," said Bishop Sergio Carranza-Gomez of Mexico, "there are now five dioceses in Mexico which constitute the newest autonomous province of the Anglican Communion."
Saucedo will be enthroned as primate by Presiding Bishop Edmond L. Browning at San Jose de Gracia Cathedral in Mexico City on May 13, 1995.