As reported here a few weeks ago, Bishop of New Westminster Michael Ingham wants retired Bishop of Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador Donald Harvey disciplined for entering Maximum Mike’s diocese without his permission.  More details on the case appear in the September issue of that evil Anglican newspaper™, Anglican Planet.

Ingham is upset that Harvey only notified him of a weekend visit to his diocese and did not actually ask his permission to cross his diocesan boundaries:

“As I wrote to you before, the Canons of our Church specifically require you to not only inform me but to seek my permission before exercising any ministry in this Diocese.

“to not only inform”??  When will he learn not to split infinitives?

“Since you have failed to do this yet again and indeed after repeated appeals to you both from myself and the Primate I regard you as being in violation of the Canons of General Synod.

“I have asked the Primate and Metropolitan to take appropriate action.”

Bp Harvey denies performing any ministry work in the diocese during his visit.  At one church, he merely attended a worship service.  He did preach at the other church he visited, Church of the Resurrection, Hope, BC, but that congregation is made up of former members of Christ Church, Hope, who left when Bp Ingham forced their priest Archie Pell into early retirement.  They have rejected Ingham’s authority and no longer meet in Anglican Church of Canada premises.

Don Harvey also had this rejoinder:

“Michael Ingham is in no position to quote the Constitution of the church or of his diocese,” claimed Harvey.  “If he were to follow the spirit and letter of these constitutions there would be no need for me to visit.”

Bp Ingham’s letter was copied to Primate Andrew Hutchison, Metropolitan of British Columbia Terry Buckle, and three church legal officers.

Let’s see: It was about three years ago that Michael Ingham initiated legal action on similar grounds against another Anglican Church of Canada bishop.  (The charges were eventually dropped.)  That bishop was Terry Buckle, the man who is now Bp Ingham’s Metropolitan Archbishop.  Mike, there may be a lesson for you somewhere in there.

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