Bishop Ingham told synod that \u201cwe do not seek litigation, but if all appeals to reason and responsibility fail, we may need to seek relief from the civil courts in order to re-build and restore these parishes after the departure of their leaders and some members of their congregations.\u201d\u009d<\/p>\n
He said the diocese intends to \u201cact legally to retain all property and assets belonging to these parishes and to the diocese\u201d\u009d since schism, which is the \u201csetting up of unlawful authority\u201d\u009d cannot be allowed to stand.<\/p>\n
Cheryl Chang, legal advisor to the breakaway Anglican Network in Canada, wrote on the network\u2019s Web site that \u201cwith respect to the issue of \u201d\u02dctrespass,\u2019 it is difficult to see how the diocese can claim to be an \u201d\u02dcowner\u2019 or \u201d\u02dclandlord\u2019 when they are not on the title to the property, do not control the corporation that holds the title and never \u201d\u00a6 used the property except with permission of the parish corporation.\u201d\u009d<\/p>\n
Clergy named in the letter did not return phone calls seeking comment, however a posting on the network\u2019s Web site said parish lawyers and trustees are deciding how to respond.<\/p>\n