The Acts of Convention

House of Bishops

Original Text of Resolution:

(C054)

Whereas, One of the strengths of the Episcopal Church is its ability to adapt to local situations; and

Whereas, The Diocese of Colombia is inhibited in its missionary expansion due to the lack of ordained persons for the sacramental ministry; and

Whereas, There are many Roman Catholic Priests in Colombia who have left their Communion in search of a more liberal ecclesiastical environment and are interested in being received as Clergy into the Episcopal Church; and

Whereas, Many of these Priests are obliged to support themselves and their families through full-time secular employment, and thus are unable to devote themselves to the thorough course of study that is needed to prepare them to be received into this Church; and

Whereas, This resolution would give the Bishop the discretion of employing these Clergy either full or part-time, which would at once help to alleviate the shortage of Priests, and free them from the need for secular employment, thereby enabling them to pursue a guided course of study in preparation for ministry in the Episcopal Church; and

Whereas, It is believed that allowing the Priests to exercise their sacramental ministry during this period, under adequate supervisions, would provide an excellent opportunity of evaluating their fitness for reception into the ministry of the Episcopal Church after fulfilling the remaining requirements of Title III, Canon 12, relevant to their particular situations; therefore be it

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, That Title III, Canon 12, Section 1 be amended by adding a new sub-section (c), as follows:

(c) . In overseas jurisdictions, the Diocesan Bishop, with the consent of the Standing Committee, may authorize a Priest, if he has been ordained by a Bishop in the historic succession, and has demonstrated to the Standing Committee that he has satisfactorily fulfilled all of the requirements of Title III, Canon 12, Section 1, to exercise the ministry of Priest in a specific location(s) for a trial period of not more than one year, to determine the fitness of said Priest to be received as a Priest of this Church. During this period the Priest will devote himself to a course of study, under the direction of the Commission on Ministry, in preparation for the examination required by Title III, Canon 12, Section 2.

Proposed Committee Amendment:

Replace the original Resolved with the following:

To prevent the Bishop of any Diocese from authorizing a Deacon or Priest, if ordained by a Bishop in the historic succession, to exercise that office for a trial period of not more than one year in order to determine the fitness of said Deacon or Priest to satisfy the requirements of Canon III.12 for reception.

The Committee on Ministry moved C054 Amended (Amend Title III, Canon 12, Section 1).

The Bishop of Louisiana moved an amendment.

Proposed Amendment:

Add the preface "in jurisdictions other than domestic."

Seconded by Bishop Welles.

Amendment defeated

Motion failed

Resolution rejected