San Joaquin clergy threatened it is alleged

Episcopal Life

Michael Glass, a San Rafael, California-based attorney who represents congregations and individual Episcopalians who wish to remain in the Episcopal Church, told Episcopal News Service (ENS) December 11 that he, local leaders, Chancellor to the Presiding Bishop David Booth Beers, and leaders from Episcopal dioceses surrounding San Joaquin "are coming together very soon to finalize our coordinated efforts to provide for the leadership needs, the legal and pastoral issues, and the financial concerns of our brothers and sisters in San Joaquin, and to provide for the continuation of the diocese."

The Rev. Robert Moore will meet with the group as well. Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori appointed Moore "to provide an ongoing pastoral presence to the continuing Episcopalians in the Diocese of San Joaquin," said the Rev. Charles Robertson, canon to the Presiding Bishop.

Moore is the husband of Bishop Suffragan Bavi Edna "Nedi" Rivera of Olympia, the daughter of San Joaquin Bishop John-David Schofield's predecessor, Bishop Victor Rivera.


Threats are alleged
Glass and another person who requested not to be identified told ENS that Schofield threatened the personal livelihoods and congregational finances of priests who opposed his efforts to lead the diocese out of the Episcopal Church.

The unnamed person said Schofield told him during a break in the convention that diocesan support of his mission congregation will stop at the end of December because he abstained in the December 8 vote. Glass confirmed Schofield's threat.

A spokesperson for Schofield denied the allegation.

More: 'San Joaquin's canon to the ordinary says parishes in the diocese can go through a "period of discernment" to "determine whether or not they are comfortable with the decisions made by their delegates."' Missions are given no such option.

As noted in an earlier post, the secession vote was not by secret ballot: 'Organizers decided on an unusual method for taking the vote. They sent delegates who favored the split to one side of the room, and opponents to the other side.'

Read it all here.

Posted by John B. Chilton on December 12, 2007 3:03 AM | |
Comments (2)

Father Jake states things clearly and accurately:

The Diocese of San Joaquin was created by the General Convention of the Episcopal Church. Regardless of what Bp. Schofield or the other leaders of San Joaquin claim, they do not have the authority to move the Diocese to some other Province. They are free to decide to no longer be a part of the Episcopal Church. But to claim that the Diocese itself belongs to them, and they can do with it as they please, is either deranged thinking or an attempt to justify criminal acts.

It is Bp. Schofield who needs to "appeal for release" from his ordination vows, if he feels he can no longer remain an Episcopalian. Since he did not choose to proceed along that honorable path, but has instead chosen to leave the Church that granted him the office of Bishop, it is quite clear that he has abandoned the Church, and is no longer a bishop of any recognized Diocese within the Anglican Communion.
http://frjakestopstheworld.blogspot.com/2007/12/mission-congregations-in-san-joaquin.html

Posted by John B. Chilton [TypeKey Profile Page] | December 12, 2007 10:16 AM

The fact that they chose to use a process of voting that was not secret and which clearly identified how a person was going to vote is in itself a massive manipulation of the results. It is a process that would lead a reasonable person to believe that not only would a vote be tabulated but who voted would be noted and remembered. There is a not so fine line in elections between accountability and coercion, and this process crossed it.

It is not a big leap to imagine that people would be "told of consequences" since it is apparent to all who cooperated with the Bishops and his supporters plans and who did not.

In my view, this is one of many reasons to question the validity of the voting results not to mention the legitimacy of the question itself.

Andrew Gerns

Posted by ATGerns [TypeKey Profile Page] | December 12, 2007 3:09 PM

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