Episcopal Press and News
Ninth Province's Synod Meets in San Salvador
Diocesan Press Service. December 8, 1975 [75431]
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador -- The 6th Synod of the Ninth Province of the Episcopal Church, meeting here in mid-November, decided by a vote of 46 to 1 to " reaffirm our common purpose of strengthening the unity of the Province " and to seek and work for autonomy, although no date was set for accomplishing this.
Various plans for autonomy were examined by the groups and by the complete assembly. Although some dioceses are better prepared than others to attain autonomy, the general consensus was that this is a process which should emerge from the groundline and it is not the appropriate time to take the step for total autonomy.
The idea of forming regional councils was not accepted since it was thought that it would weaken the provincial unity although some work will be done on a regional basis. Two important aspects of the work done by the Church in the Ninth Province -- Social Improvement and Christian Education -- will be done through regional committees under the authority of the Provincial Council, the executive arm of the Province.
The Synod also reaffirmed the compromise of the Declaration of Principles and Purposes of 1965 of "working for the maximum sustenance that is possible in each diocese and in the Province."
As evidence of interest in the Province, the Synod decided that a plan should be established by which each diocese will give a percentage of its local offerings for the sustenance of the Provincial Office. The council of the Province will be in charge of carrying out this plan. At present, each diocese pays only $15 per year for each clergy canonically resident.
The Synod also decided to "strengthen our mission and testimony" in the problem areas that the Church and the society face and to accomplish this task "in relation with our Christian brothers."
Bishop Shirley Elected President
Lemuel B. Shirley, Bishop of Panama and the Canal Zone, was elected President of the Ninth Province at its November 18-21 meeting.
Bishop Shirley was installed hours later by his predecessor, Melchor Saucedo, Bishop of Western Mexico, during the celebration of a eucharist.
The Synod also elected the Bishop of the Diocese of Northern Mexico, Leonardo Romero, as Vice President; and three clergy and five lay persons to form the Provincial Council, the executive arm of the Synod.
Virginia Norman, James Ottley, Gonzalo Lugo, and Ramiro Chavez of the Dominican Republic, Panama, Puerto Rico, and El Salvador, respectively, were re-elected. The new members are Armando Guerra, Guatemala; Luis Serrano, El Salvador; Julian Gam6n, Panama; and Francisco Duque, Colombia.
The Rev. Leonardo Cespedes, from the Diocese of Northern Mexico, was elected representative of the Ninth Province to membership on the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church.
Cuban Participates in Meeting
The Rev. Miguel Tamayo, rector of the Church of San Pablo in Bolondr6n, Province of Matanzas, Cuba, delayed two days in traveling, arrived and brought fraternal greetings from the Cuban Episcopal Church. With great emotion, Fr. Tamayo expressed "deep satisfaction and true happiness " to be present and added that he expected that "from now on, we march together through the path of true fraternity discovering new horizons in the mission of the Church."
This is the first time Cuba has participated in an Episcopal Synod, although before the creation of the Ninth Province in 1965, Cubans had attempted to form an Episcopal regional association. Fr. Tamayo's address was received with a long, tearful ovation.
Declaration on Ordination of Women Adopted
After a "wide and sincere discussion," the Synod decided by a majority vote to accept the principle of the "total ministry of women" and that this "does not exclude the possible ordination of women to priesthood and episcopacy. "
The document, addressed to "our Anglican brothers in other parts of the world," however, affirms that due to cultural, social and religious conditions, characteristic of the Latin American countries, this process will take different forms and will be accomplished in different times according to the local conditions.
The declaration also emphasizes an "educative process," calls for "preservation of the unity and catholicity of the Church," and adds that ecumenical relations should be maintained because a "sincere ecumenism should take us to do what our conscience tells us, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and we hope that the charity of other Christian brothers will be such that they will accept us as we are. "
More than 80 persons were present at the Synod meeting, including bishops, deputies, and visitors from Latin America and the United States. The Bishop of Belice, Anthony Sylvester, was specially invited but was unable to come due to the tense situation prevailing in that Central American territory.
The place and date for the next meeting of the Synod was not set. Normally this is a task of the Provincial Council. The next meeting will be held sometime in 1978.
