No understanding of Catholic orders by ECUSA.

Once again the leadership of the Episcopal Church has proven that it can say in the creeds that it believes the Catholic Faith, and yet have no understanding of the catholic nature of the sacrament of ordination! Besides the attempted introduction of women into Holy Orders (being Catholic certainly means NOT trying to unilaterally change a sacrament), but now they have undertaken a ridiculous position of removing those who move from ECUSA to another part of the worldwide Communion - effectly putting ECUSA out of Communion with the rest of Anglicanism. To remove them from the ministry is to say they are no longer recognized as clergy. So if the bishop of Nigeria says you are a priest or bishop, then you are for ALL of the Anglican Communion....except ECUSA. God help us!

Of course, this is most sorrowfully felt by me because one of the latest victims of this piss-poor theology is my own Bishop MacBurney, who is being removed.
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[Episcopal News Service] Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori announced on June 12 that she had accepted the renunciations of David C. Bane and Edward MacBurney.Both men told the Presiding Bishop by letter in March that they intended to affiliate with another Anglican province, according to a release issued by Jefferts Schori's office. Bane is the resigned (retired) bishop of the Diocese of Southern Virginia and MacBurney is the resigned (retired) bishop of the Diocese of Quincy. The two were not deposed and the actions do not affect their standings in other provinces, the release said."They are being removed from ordained ministry in the Episcopal Church 'for causes which do not affect (their) moral character,' " the release said, citing the words of the church's voluntary renunciation canon (III.12.7(a)). Jefferts Schori notified Bane and MacBurney on June 12, the release said, noting that the actions came "with the full support of her Council of Advice, and under the authority of, Title III Canon 12 section 7 of The Episcopal Church."During a news conference after the House of Bishops meeting in March, Jefferts Schori had expressed "great sadness" when asked about a March 11 letter by Bane, notifying her that he had joined the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone and intended to serve as an assistant bishop in the breakaway Diocese of Pittsburgh. He also works the bishop-in-residence at the Anglican Church of the Redeemer in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, where he lives.Bane resigned from Southern Virginia on February 11, 2006 after years of division in the diocese culminated with a report from three Episcopal Church bishops said that the diocese needed "deep systemic change."Bane said in an interview with Episcopal News Service that the invitation to work in the Diocese of Pittsburgh came to him after he tried to find a way to minister in the Episcopal Church, but was rebuffed at every turn. "I was not wanted in ministry no matter how hard I tried," he said.Bane added that he "never desired" to leave the Episcopal Church and is sad and disappointed both with his status and with the divisions in the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion."I don't have any big vendetta or anger," he said. "I am just sad and disappointed."The "most confusing thing," Bane said, has been the "zero contact" he has had from any member of the House of Bishops as he faced the prospect of finding a new ministry after leaving Southern Virginia. "There must be something about this I don't understand," he said.Bane said he is now a member of the Southern Cone but is awaiting the outcome of what is being called the June 22-25 "inaugural provincial assembly" of the proposed Anglican Church in North America to see what role he will have to play in that organization.The meeting is due to ratify a proposed constitution and set of canons. Deposed Diocese of Pittsburgh Bishop Robert Duncan, whom Bane is currently assisting, is expected to become the group's archbishop. The entity is proposed as an alternative Anglican Communion province in North America for those Anglicans who disagree with the theological and biblical interpretation stances of the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada. While the Anglican Church in North America has not begun the process of requesting recognition from the Anglican Communion, the conservative Anglican leaders and former Episcopalians who make up the GAFCON/FCA Primates' Council of the Global Anglican Future Conference said in April that they recognize the entity "as genuinely Anglican and recommends that Anglican Provinces affirm full communion with the ACNA."MacBurney's renunciation follows a series of events over the last two years that put him at odds with the Episcopal Church. In September 2008, the Presiding Bishop announced that she had removed the inhibition she had place on MacBurney earlier in the year after he had he conducted confirmations in the Diocese of San Diego without the permission of Bishop Jim Mathes. She admonished MacBurney to not make any other such visits and to apologize in writing to Mathes "for not respecting his authority as Bishop of that Diocese."Southern Cone Archbishop Gregory Venables had invited MacBurney to perform confirmations at an Episcopal congregation in the Diocese of San Diego that claimed to be affiliated with the Southern Cone. MacBurney agreed and did so in June 2007 at Holy Trinity Parish.MacBurney could not be reached for comment.
-- The Rev. Mary Frances Schjonberg is national correspondent for the Episcopal News Service.

one more on Bishop MacBurney

From David Virtue - www.virtueonline.org

Presiding Bishop Lifts Inhibition Against MacBurney.
"No Regret for my Actions", says Bishop
By David W. Virtue www.virtueonline.org
9/12/2008
The Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church lifted the inhibition against retired Quincy Bishop Edward MacBurney saying the Anglo-Catholic bishop apologized for conducting confirmations in the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego. A news story put out by the Episcopal News Service said MacBurney had apologized to Bishop Mathes for going into his diocese and confirming a number of people at one of Mathes' parishes. However, MacBurney told VOL by phone that he only apologized for upsetting Bishop Jim Mathes by intruding in his diocese but he did not regret confirming the 14 communicants at Holy Trinity Church.
"I apologized for upsetting him and that's all, MacBurney told VOL. In a September 9 order, Jefferts Schori said that MacBurney had voluntarily submitted to discipline (Canon IV.2(9) and (10)) over a presentment which the Title IV Review Committee issued on Jan. 24, Bishop Mathes, who originally asked for MacBurney to be disciplined because he conducted unauthorized confirmations in San Diego, told ENS September 10 that the order and discipline of the church had been "maintained and in some way enhanced by this process." "I wrote one line to Mathes apologizing for not respecting his authority as the Bishop of San Diego on the occasion of visiting Holy Trinity on June 3rd 2007. I did not regret what I did in confirming some 14 young people and adults at the church. "I am not sorry at all. They lifted the inhibition. My attorney Wicks Stephens fought a long way in Philadelphia with the church attorney Lawrence Wright. He put up a good fight in how different canons were being used." MacBurney said he thought they really wanted to get rid of this inhibition. "They didn't want a costly trial with mud all over their faces. Another reason is that The National Church has three dioceses ready to leave TEC. They have other things on their mind. I am a rather small fish. I was penalized and inhibited for 5 months; it was not without its cost. I am still an Episcopal bishop in good standing."He said he got the news of his inhibition being lifted by fax from his attorney. "I have not heard personally from either Mrs. Jefferts Schori or Bishop Mathes."MacBurney said he was relieved to have the inhibition lifted because he is now able to take services in a couple of churches in October. "It hasn't impressed me. The legal situation in TEC is very bumpy and uneven with some bishops being penalized and others not."

ENS's take on Bishop MacBurney's restoration

From Episcopal News Service

[Episcopal News Service] Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori has removed the inhibition she placed in April on retired Episcopal Diocese of Quincy Bishop Edward MacBurney.
In a September 9 order, Jefferts Schori said that MacBurney had voluntarily submitted to discipline (Canon IV.2(9) and (10)) over a presentment which the Title IV Review Committee issued on Jan. 24, 2008.
Diocese of San Diego Bishop Jim Mathes, who originally asked for MacBurney to be disciplined because he conducted unauthorized confirmations in San Diego, told ENS September 10 that the order and discipline of the church had been "maintained and in some way enhanced by this process."
"Bishop MacBurney's decision is the result of my efforts and those of others to find a non-judicial outcome to an unfortunate event," Mathes said September 10 in his weekly email to diocesan clergy. "Today, the order of our church and the collegiality of the House of Bishops have been enhanced."
The process "held a bishop of the church accountable to his colleagues and this was a good thing," Mathes told ENS.
"I grateful to Bishop MacBurney for his role in this," Mathes said, explaining that MacBurney's willingness to apologize for his actions "provided us a way to provide forgiveness."
Jefferts Schori's September 9 order admonishes MacBurney to not make any other such visits and to apologize in writing to Mathes "for not respecting his authority as Bishop of that Diocese."
Anglican Province of the Southern Cone Archbishop Gregory Venables had invited MacBurney to perform confirmations at an Episcopal congregation in the Diocese of San Diego that claimed to be affiliated with the Southern Cone. MacBurney agreed and did so in June 2007 at Holy Trinity Parish without Mathes' permission.

If true - wonderful news!!!

I received an email from a list I am on, stating that Bishop MacBurney received word that Katherine Jefferts-Schori lifted the inhibition against him, restoring him to his full function as a bishop of the church.

If this is true, it is a time for great rejoicing for the Bishop who adopted me and ordained me a deacon, and who has been a good friend and visitor to St. John's!

Click on the 'label' below for some background information.

Te Deum Laudamus..........

The latest on Bishop MacBurney

Inhibition Against Bishop MacBurney Lifted Temporarily
Posted on: April 14, 2008 - The Living Church

The inhibition against the Rt. Rev. Edward H. MacBurney, retired Bishop of Quincy, has been temporarily lifted following an announcement on April 14 from the canon to the Presiding Bishop.

“In light of the personal tragedy that Bishop and Mrs. MacBurney are facing, Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori wishes to offer the bishop the opportunity to function liturgically in any services for his son if he desires to do so,” said the Rev. Canon Charles Robertson in an e-mail message.

A disciplinary “Review Committee” recently issued a presentment, or ecclesiastical indictment, of Bishop MacBurney, and on April 2 Bishop Jefferts Schori prohibited Bishop MacBurney from sacramental ministry pending his trial. The 80-year-old bishop is accused of performing a service of confirmation in June 2007 at an Anglican church in San Diego. In 2006, the congregation of Holy Trinity voted overwhelmingly to leave The Episcopal Church. It is now affiliated with the Anglican Church of the Southern Cone. Bishop James R. Mathes of San Diego filed the initial complaint against Bishop MacBurney.

Bishop MacBurney’s adopted son, Page Grubb, died of cancer April 4. Bishop MacBurney married Mr. Grubb’s mother, Anne, who had been widowed when her three children were still young. A memorial wake service for Mr. Grubb is scheduled at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, Calamus, Iowa, on April 18 with the funeral the following day at St. Ann’s Roman Catholic Church in Long Grove.

Bishop MacBurney said the Presiding Bishop telephoned him Sunday night to inform him of her decision, and to apologize for the timing of the inhibition.

Please continue to pray for The Bishop, Anne, and for the Episcopal Church at large

Crosses to bear

As the Episcopal Church wallows deeper in the mire of litigiousness (ecclesiastical as well as secular) as a result of its theological decline, we have greater and greater opportunities to carry the cross.

It is a Cross to Bishop MacBurney, to his friends, and the Church at large that he has been inhibited for providing sacramental care for a congregation that left the Episcopal Church and is under the authority of another portion of the Anglican Communion.

Remember that Bishop MacBurney has done confirmations for us at St. John's by Bishop Gibbs' permission, and was here in January to ordain our Curate, Fr. Fraser. He also adopted me in the ordination process when another diocese wouldn't send this young traditionalist, and ordained me a deacon before he retired in 1994. (all priests are deacons for at least 6 months)

Is there any shame among the leadership of the Episcopal Church?

Here is Bishop Keith Ackerman's statement.

I am beside myself with grief over this unnecessary action taken against my predecessor especially at a time when he is mourning the death of his son this past Friday. I am particularly saddened that with the exception of the Bishop who initiated this action those involved in determining this course have never spoken with Bishop MacBurney directly. In the midst of this difficult time for Bishop MacBurney and his family I am really much more concerned about the implications of St Matthew 18:15-17 as it relates to how reconciliation is pursued than I am with Title IV, Canon 1, Section 6 as it relates to disciplining my dear brother. In the meantime we are ministering to the needs of the MacBurney family.

X Keith L Ackerman, SSC
Bishop of Quincy
President, Forward in Faith North America

PRAY, PRAY, PRAY for the Episcopal Church, for its conversion to the Faith handed to us by the Apostles from Jesus Himself!