Day 5 – Trial of ANiC Parishes v Diocese of New Westminster

June 1, 2009

Today was another “standing room only” day in the Vancouver Courtroom to hear the opening statement of the Diocese’s counsel, George Macintosh, QC in the morning and the beginning of Bishop Ingham’s testimony in the afternoon.

Mr Macintosh advised the court that he would be calling four witnesses, Bishop Ingham, Rev Kevin Dixon, Doug McAdams and Rev Christine Rowe, although “there may be some slight adjustment among the latter three” he said. He also advised that he may end before Friday afternoon and that counsel agreed argument would still commence next Monday. the rest

Bishop knew of several dioceses blessing same sex unions before the Diocese of New Westminster did
Felt blessing should be public, not done in a private ceremony

Bishop Michael Ingham told the BC Supreme Court on Monday, June 1, that he knew of several Anglican dioceses where same sex unions were being blessed, long before the Diocesan Synod of New Westminster asked him to issue a rite of blessing in 2002.

It was happening informally, he said, in several Dioceses of the Episcopal Church in the US (a member of the Anglican Communion). He named Rochester, NY, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Delaware, and Boston, as places where same sex blessings took place, as well as in England.

But the bishop was opposed to these blessings, he told Mr. Justice Stephen Kelleher, “I wasn’t in favour of unofficial blessings taking place.” He told his priests not to conduct them, although some conservative priests would not oppose blessings done informally—and one even suggested to him this was a way to resolve the blessing issue. the rest