Canada: Anglican bishop makes first visit to shared ministry

May 3, 2012
Gary Kean

CORNER BROOK — Retired Anglican Bishop Leonard Whitten made history last week when he participated in the first-ever shared episcopal ministry in Canada.

Bishop Whitten had agreed to provide services to six parishes within the Diocese of Montreal late last year when they became disgruntled with the stance of their bishop over the issue of the ordination of partnered homosexual clergy members.

Since 2007, at the direction of a diocesan synod, Bishop Barry Clarke had authorized blessings of at least two civil same-sex marriages without controversy. However, six parishes in the diocese protested last year after the induction of a partnered gay priest, Very Rev. Paul Kennington, as the dean of Montreal and rector of Christ Church Cathedral and the ordination as a deacon of a partnered gay man, Rev. Robert Camara.

The six parish priests who protested all agreed to have Whitten's intervention. Whitten, who does not agree with same-sex marriage, agreed to go to these parishes — when requested to do so — and conduct the duties normally carried out by the bishop in the parishes opposed to Bishop Clarke’s views. the rest

Holy Trinity Anglican closing its doors