Sunday, October 24, 2010

Mount Calvary Church Update

Three weeks ago I broke the news the vestry of Mount Calvary Episcopal Church in Baltimore had voted unanimously to approve two motions severing the church's ties to the Episcopal Church and requesting full communion with the Holy Catholic Church via Angliconrum Coetibus. The rector of Mount Calvary, the Rev'd Jason Catania, announced a special meeting at which the parishioners would vote on the vestry's two motions. That meeting was held today and both motions have passed by a substantial margin, nearly 85 percent. Now begins the rather involved matter of making Fr. Catania, his staff and parishioners Catholics; it will not happen overnight.

Now also, I suppose, begins the waiting game with the Episcopal Church, how it will react to this "Dear John letter" from one of its flocks. Will it cut a deal with Mount Calvary to allow the parish to retain its property or will Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, through her consigliore David Booth Beers, pour out her fury upon them as she has done to so many other departing Episcopal parishes? This time, of course, the mighty forces of the Catholic Church might possibly come into play but my guess is Holy Church is loath to get into a legal brawl with the Episcopalians and vice versa.

One thing is certain, however: the parishioners, the heart of any church (the blessed company of all faithful people), of Mount Calvary are leaving the Episcopal Church, with or without the property. Both sides will need our prayers.

3 comments:

William Tighe said...

I wonder how soon "the other church" will make its announcement.

The Bovina Bloviator said...

The time certainly seems ripe, doesn't it?

Young fogey emeritus said...

I know you've seen these but more from the MCJ:

Damian G.
October 24, 2010:

A friend of mine and his mother are members of this parish, and they apparently managed to buy off the diocese. Unless the national church/cult raises a fuss, which they may very well, they should be safe.

William Tighe
October 24, 2010:

You guys (commenters) all seem to be out of the loop on this. Mme l’ archiflaminica said months ago that TE”C” would always sue any parish that tried to leave TE”C” for any other “Anglican entity,” but that (if the price was right) they would have no objection to a parish leaving for some (or any) “non-Anglican” destination. So if a parish leaves for Rome (or Orthodoxy) or (for Protestants) the PCA or the Missouri Synod, the way is clear — as long as you can pay for your “exit ticket.”

I can see it: they'll be nice to Rome for the sake of ecumenical cred, but not to ACNA with whom they're in mortal combat for the privilege of sending their bishops to jolly old England to meet the Queen every 10 years (which is all being an Anglican means).