I can only interpret this news release to mean that Trinity Cathedral will not be a part of the realignment.August 22, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TRINITY CATHEDRAL RESOLUTION ENVISIONS CONTINUED ACCESS FOR ALL
This September, Trinity Cathedral members will be discussing a resolution of Cathedral Chapter that would make it possible for Trinity to continue to be the cathedral church for all who are currently part of the diocese, regardless of their future Anglican affiliation. Their work has the full support of Pittsburgh Bishop Robert Duncan.
The Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh will consider whether or not to realign as a diocese with another province of the Anglican Communion during its annual meeting on October 4. While a majority of the diocese's elected deputies supported the proposition on its first reading at the diocesan convention in 2007, other individuals and congregations have made it clear that they will remain with The Episcopal Church in the event that realignment receives final approval.
The resolution states that the Cathedral "does not wish to be compelled to make an exclusive choice" between Anglican worshipping communities. It goes on to lay out a practical system by which the Cathedral could serve both groups. That system envisions giving seats on the Cathedral's governing bodies to representatives of both contingents, inviting the bishops of both to serve as co-presidents of the Cathedral Chapter, and working with both on issues such as clergy appointments.
According to Cathedral Provost Canon Catherine Brall, the draft resolution was prepared over the last several months by the Cathedral Chapter and sent to all active members of the Trinity on August 22. Cathedral parish members will have a number of opportunities to discuss the resolution over the next three weeks, and then will come together for a final all-parish meeting on September 14.
Canon Brall praised the work of the Chapter, saying that the ideas encapsulated in the resolution "grew out of a very thorough and wonderful season of Chapter members seeking to envision how Trinity Cathedral might best position itself to fulfill its unique identity and destiny as a historic Penn Land Grant Church deeded to foster and preserve Anglican and Episcopal worship."
Bishop Duncan also thanked the Chapter for their work and commended the resolution to the Cathedral parish membership. "Trinity Cathedral, more than any other church building in the diocese, belongs not just to whoever may "win" the right to administer it in our sad divisions, but to all of us, to the city, and the whole region. I see this resolution as a good initiative to acknowledge and protect that unique role and to protect the Cathedral's future as Mother Church of all Anglicans and of the City," he said.
The Cathedral Chapter Resolution is available here (pdf):
http://www.pitanglican.org/news/local/filesforposting/resolution082208.pdf
This story is available online at:
http://www.pitanglican.org/news/local/trinitycathedral082208
2 comments:
One non re-aligner and Across-the-Aisle participant Lionel Diemel's take on the Cathedral can be found here under the title "Fallback Position:
http://deimel.org/commentary/blogger/blogger.htm
I'm sure Trinity doesn't want to be part of the realignment, but I don't think this statement can be interpreted as saying so, even obliquely. Here's the crucial question: does their 'serve both' plan include accepting the sacramental ministry of the present Presiding Bishop? One must even acknowledge the possibility that a future Bishop of Pittsburgh (Episcopal) would invite the Bishop of New Hampshire to the Cathedral (unlikely but theoretically possible). If they want to serve those still in union with the General Convention, they have to be ready for this to happen. If they have to refer this question to Bishop Duncan, they are under his authority and are realigners. If they say they're not ready for it on their own account, they're either realigners or willing to stop being a cathedral. Only if they say they are ready for it can we assume they won't be realigning. I interpret their statement as meaning 'we'd rather not say at present'.
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