Puerto Rican Diocesan Convention Held
Diocesan Press Service. May 28, 1975 [75208]
PONCE, Puerto Rico -- Over a period of three days, Episcopalians from all over Puerto Rico debated, analyzed, and approved or disapproved a wide variety of resolutions during the 68th Annual Diocesan Convention, held in Ponce from April 10-12.
A large part of the time was dedicated to internal concerns of the church. The most notable among these were the following: approval of the budget for 1975, the election and appointment of the officers of the church, and a series of resolutions related to the commitment of the Episcopal Church to establish in Puerto Rico by 1982 a national, autonomous church.
In addition to these resolutions, approval was given to begin conversations with the Episcopal Churches of Cuba, of the Dominican Republic, of Haiti, and of the Virgin Islands with the purpose of investigating possible Metropolitan relationships.
During those three days there was not enough time to discuss all of the pending resolutions and projects, and many were held over until August, when clergy and lay delegates will meet again. Among these are a motion backing the strike at a local cement plant and another asking pardon for the Puerto Rican political prisoners in the United States.
A group of priests, acting as individuals and not representing their parishes nor convention signed these two resolutions. Because the resolution did not reach the floor, no official position was taken by the Church.
Other matters to be taken up are abortion, a new set of canons, women's ordinations, the expansion of the Church within Puerto Rico, and continuing support for Industrial Mission.