The Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh reaches an important milestone and moves into a new phase of rebuilding this weekend. It meets in convention to approve a Provisional Bishop, conduct business that points to both greater stability and vitality, and to witness the ordination of a woman with deep ties to the diocese’s only predominantly African-American parish.
The governing body will convene Friday and Saturday, October 16 and 17, 2009, at the traditional seat of the diocese, Trinity Cathedral in downtown Pittsburgh.
Approximately 145 clergy and lay deputies from the diocese’s 28 active congregations will be asked to affirm the Rt. Rev. Kenneth L. Price, Jr., as Provisional Bishop. In that role, he would assume full ecclesiastical authority and responsibility as chief pastor and overseer of diocesan administration and finances until a permanent bishop can be elected and installed.
“I look forward to coming to Pittsburgh as part of a collaborative effort. Let’s work together to find out what we can do to make this the strong diocese that is part of its history,” says Bishop Price.
What’s the status of the cathedral re the court ruling on Diocesan property? The judge decreed 30 days to begin the process…
To date, both sides have accepted half of our assessment and we have delegates at both diocesan conventions. We’ll have to wait and see what the respective leaderships choose to do now.
[url=http://catholicandreformed.blogspot.com]Catholic and Reformed[/url]
Jeremy Bonner:
Am I to understand that both the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh and the Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh (Archbishop Robert Duncan) are worshiping at Trinity Cathedral at the present time? What an interesting situation. How does that work for those who worship at Trinity Cathedral?
Deacon Francie,
It is extremely interesting. We have a structure of shared governance, with elected representatives from both dioceses and both bishops have standing invitations to be present at chapter meetings. Archbishop Duncan comes sporadically (much of the time he’s out of town) and Bishop Johnson has been present on a couple of occasions (though again he hasn’t been permanently resident in Pittsburgh). What Bishop Price – assuming he’s elected – will do, remains to be seen. As mentioned, our assessment has been evenly divided between the two diocesan entities, and we’re represented at both conventions (for now). You can see the text of [url=http://www.trinitycathedralpgh.org/parish-news-cathedral-pre-convention-special-resolution/]our special resolution[/url] for the procedural niceties.
On a practical level, things haven’t changed much. This year we hosted the renewal of vows for both groups of diocesan clergy (on different days) and Trinity School for Ministry’s commencement, while the TEC convention will meet here tomorrow. We also have rather long Sunday prayers of the people since we have the leaders of both ACNA and TEC for whom to pray. The real point, however, has always been to offer a mechanism for the healing of the wounds within the Body here in Pittsburgh, as I [url=http://catholicandreformed.blogspot.com/2009/01/becoming-icons-trinity-cathedrals.html]opined earlier this year.[/url] We didn’t go into this with the aim of trying to save our property regardless of who won the legal battle.
Re the Cathedral, I would just add a word of appreciation and affection and deep respect for Cathedral Provost, Canon Cathy Brall, who has demonstrated a consistent and truly Christ-centered spirit of ministry and leadership through the past year in what anybody, I think, would agree is a challenging situation.
Bruce Robison
It is significant that only one year removed from Bishop Duncan the TEC Pittsburgh diocese gets to vote in its first full fledged revisionist bishop ever. Bishop Price is solidly in support of the LGBT agenda and voted for both D025 and C056 at GenCon this year. The death knell for Episcopalian orthodoxy sounds in Pittsburgh…