World Church-In Brief

Diocesan Press Service. December 5, 1967 [60-4]

Ecumenically Speaking

St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Cathedral in Buffalo will be the scene of the consecration of the Very Rev. Harold B. Robinson, Bishop Coadjutor- elect of the Episcopal Diocese of Western New York. The cathedral was made available when it became known that the Diocese of Western New York was seeking a place large enough for the service. No date has yet been set for the consecration of Dean Robinson who was elected Nov. 11, pending receipt of the necessary consents.

The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, His All Holiness Athenagoras I, and the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev. and Rt. Hon. Arthur Michael Ramsey, met in London for four days of informal talks. A joint communique stated the two leaders had discussed "the direct relationship between the churches of the Anglican Communion and the Ecumenical Patriarchate and so of all Orthodox churches." Groundwork was also laid for discussions between Anglican and Orthodox theologians in 1969.

In Great Britain 40 local councils of churches have Roman Catholics as full or associate members, and some 220 councils have official Roman Catholic observers. There are 550 local councils associated with the British Council of Churches.

The opening of the Ecumenical Library in Quito, Ecuador, was an historic event in the life of that city. For the first time, three Roman Catholic bishops, two Anglican bishops and a Lutheran bishop joined in prayer.

The 100th Anniversary of the Crimean Memorial (Anglican) Church in Istanbul was marked by an ecumenical service Oct. 22. The Bishop of Gibralter preached on unity.

The Rt. Rev. John W. Sadiq, Bishop of Nagpur, was elected president of the National Christian Council of India at its triennial assembly. In an effort to become financially independent, delegates also agreed to the proposal to double the contribution of member churches and organizations and to erect a commercial building which would provide two-thirds of the income needed to support the NCC secretariat.

Overseas

The Rt. Rev. William Frey was consecrated Bishop of Guatemala on Nov. 26. Bishop Frey was elected at General Convention to serve this newly created missionary district in Central America.

Canadian young people will meet Dec. 27 - 31 in Toronto to discuss proposals to change the name and constitution of the 65-year-old Anglican Young People's Association. Proposed for the future are loose guidelines and transfer of organizational control from the national to local level, and the name Anglican Youth Movement.

Gerhardus Anselmus van Kleef, 43, was consecrated Bishop of Haarlem Oct. 28 by the Archbishop of Utrecht, Msgr. Andreas Rinkel. Bishop van Kleef was formerly the Old Catholic parish priest of Rotterdam. He succeeds Msgr. Jacobus van der Oord who retired from the See of Haarlem Aug. 27 at the age of 85.

The national structure of the Anglican Church of Canada has been simplified, with four divisions replacing seven departments. Heads of these four divisions were recently named: the Rev. Peter A. Meggs, director of the Division of Communications; the Rev. Canon Philip C. Jefferson, director of the Division of Parish and Diocesan Services; the Rev. Canon Alfred H. Davis, director of the Division of National and World Programs; John R. Ligertwood, director of the Department of Administration and Finance. Also appointed was the Rev. William E. Lowe as Director of Planning.

Miss Janet Lacey, director of the Christian Aid Division of the British Council of Churches, on Nov. 12 became the first woman to give an address from the pulpit of St. Paul's Cathedral, London.

Hugh McCullum, 35, of Toronto, has been named editor of the Canadian Churchman. He is the first layman to head the Anglican Church of Canada's 96-year-old national publication.

At Home

The Associated Parishes for Liturgy and Mission is producing a leader's guide and workbook for a five-session study course in conjunction with Prayer Book Studies XVII (The Liturgy of the Lord's Supper) written by the Rev. David Babin, professor of homilectics at Seabury-Western. The guide will be sold for less than one dollar through the Associated Parishes Office, 116 W. Washington Ave., Madison, Wis. 53703.

The 20th Annual YMCA World Fellowship Day was held Nov. 12 in Washington's National Cathedral. Contributions and pledges totaling $306,303 toward the worldwide work of the Young Women's Christian Association were presented by Y-Teens representing the 50 states, accompanied by young representatives from embassies of many countries. The preacher for the service was Dr. James I. McCord, president of Princeton Theological Seminary.

Law Enforcement and Individual Rights was the theme of a conference held at Washington's National Cathedral Oct. 30 - Nov. 1 as part of an ongoing program dealing with issues of the day. Co-sponsors of the conference were the Cathedral, the Methodist Board of Christian Social Concern, and the National Presbyterian Center. Roman Catholic observers were also included. Highlighting the speakers was the Hon. Abe Fortas, Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. In the Supreme Court's auditorium he addressed the group on "How do you justify the Supreme Court's emphasis on the rights of the individual as opposed to the rights of Society. " The conference was also addressed by a justice of the U. S. Court of Appeals, a spokesman for the Department of Justice, a police commissioner and a national church executive.

The Rt. Rev. Lane W. Barton, Bishop of Eastern Oregon, has announced his retirement in the latter part of 1968. Bishop Barton has served the missionary district for almost 21 years.

The general chairman and the co-chairman of the 63rd General Convention, to be held in Houston, Texas in 1970, have been named. Chairman will be the Very Rev. Robert T. Gibson, Dean of Christ Church Cathedral, and co-chairman, Philip A. Masquelette, attorney.

The Rt. Rev. Samuel H. Littell, retired Bishop of Honolulu died in New York City Nov. 15 at the age of 95. He retired in 1942 after 12 years as the bishop of the Pacific island diocese. Prior to his consecration he served for 32 years as a missionary in China. The Rt. Rev. Stephen F. Bayne, director of the Overseas Department of the Executive Council said of Bishop Littell: "Thoughtful and scholarly, he was a man of intense and earnest spirituality. Both in China and in Honolulu, he had profound influence on both clergy and laity in deepening spiritual life and in personal devotion.