Leonard Defies Bid 'Confirms' in Tulsa

Episcopal News Service. November 6, 1986 [86242]

Patsy Masterman, Diocese of Northwest Texas

BROKEN ARROW, Okla. (DPS, Nov. 6) -- The Bishop of London visited an Oklahoma congregation Oct. 30 and laid hands on 21 persons in a rite of Confirmation that seems to have raised more questions than it answered.

The Rt. Rev. Graham Leonard of London explained at a press conference before the service that he came to confirm the Oklahomans into the "holy catholic apostolic Church of God as Christians who happen to be worshipping in this congregation."

Leonard made his visit in spite of unanimous opposition of the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church and a 47-1 vote by the House of Bishops in England expressing disapproval of his plans to provide episcopal care to the Broken Arrow congregation.

Disapproval of Leonard's visit and actions without consent of the Episcopal Bishop of Oklahoma was also voiced by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, and the Episcopal Bishop of Oklahoma.

The Rt. Rev. Gerald McAllister, Bishop of Oklahoma, said Oct. 24 in a letter that members of the congregation billed as "St. Michael's Episcopal Church" of Broken Arrow are not now nor have they ever been separated from the Diocese of Oklahoma."

There are seven Episcopal Churches in Tulsa, one in Broken Arrow itself, others in nearby suburbs and St. Michael's itself was not dissolved but simply reverted to mission status directly under the bishop's care but the leader of the congregation, John Pasco, says the congregation has been without a bishop since June of 1984.

Pasco was deposed earlier this year upon the finding of an ecclesiastical court of the Diocese of Oklahoma whose decision was affirmed on appeal to the ecclesiastical court of the Province of the Southwest. The deposition and other actions were related to placing of the parish assets in a separate foundation set up to receive outside funding and insulate the assets from Church Jurisdiction. Civil court action over the parish real estate has been set for Jan. 26.

Pasco has said he was removed from the Episcopal priesthood for opposing the ordination of women and for continuing use of the 1928 Book of Common Prayer instead of authorized 1979 prayer book.

Leonard, who has been identified as "a high-church traditionalist" and the standard-bearer for opponents to women's ordination to the priesthood in the Church of England, said he did not enter any relationship with St. Michael's until he read statements that St. Michael's was no longer within the Episcopal Church.

A letter from London, dated June 1, 1986, signed by Leonard declares Pasco and his flock to be "in communion" with Leonard as long as he lives. It is posted on the congregations bulletin board.

Leonard said he was in Broken Arrow because he was invited by Pasco. He said he preferred not to develop reasons why Pasco had not invited a bishop from one of the schismatic Anglican groups in the U.S. who use the 1928 prayer book and oppose women's ordination. Retired Bishop Clarence Hayden of Northern California assisted Leonard in the Broken Arrow service.

He said he regards his relationship with the Oklahomans as "an interim situation" and it is this aspect that has raised question among church people and journalists

In action at the last General Convention, Bishops made it clear that they viewed confirmation with laying-on-of-hands as the symbol of bringing a person into direct pastoral relationship with the wider Church through the diocese. Exercise of that pastoral oversight is an integral part of the American Church's understanding as stated by the House of Bishops: "The separation of holy orders and their exercise from jurisdiction strikes at the roots of catholic faith and polity." Leonard has not said how that continuing pastoral responsibility can be met by him from a see 5000 miles distant.

Leonard came to Oklahoma after the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church last month in San Antonio unanimously approved a statement of jurisdiction citing articles of the Constitution of the Episcopal Church which establish the geographical nature of the Episcopal Church and says bishops are not allowed to perform episcopal functions in a diocese other than their own except at the invitation of the bishop in whose diocese that function is to be performed -- whether or not such functions take place in an Episcopal church.

The Sept. 25 statement by the American bishops says, "It is inappropriate for a bishop in another jurisdiction to assume that he has the authority to judge the competency of our canonical process or to contradict this process. It is equally inappropriate for bishop to claim the authority which belongs to a province to establish dialogue, enter into communion, or otherwise recognize schismatic groups that style themselves 'Episcopal' or Anglican.'"

The American bishops said that any bishop who attempts by his physical presence or his episcopal office to enable a deposed priest of the Episcopal Church to circumvent the canons would be expected to be challenged, corrected, and disciplined by his primate and his House of Bishops.

The bishops in San Antonio said, "If a bishop of one province can take under his pastoral and ecclesial care a deposed priest, a dismissed vestry, or a schismatic church, the order of the Church is compromised, trust and collegiality are violated, and the integrity of the decision making process of every province is destroyed. We regard these consequences with gravity and hold these activities to be deplorable, destructive, and irresponsible."

On Oct. 21, the House of Bishops in England agreed (47 to one, with two abstentions) that a bishop of the Church of England should not exercise episcopal care over a priest and congregation situated in a diocese of another province except with the consent of the proper authorities of that province.

Archbishop of Canterbury Robert Runcie later issued a statement saying, "I regret that the Bishop of London, despite strong objections of most of his fellow bishops here and in the United States still thinks it right to exercise sacramental or episcopal care to a congregation which will not accept the discipline of their diocesan bishop."

Although Leonard's visit to confirm Oklahomans makes him perona non grata in the diocese of Oklahoma, he told the press he was not interfering in the Episcopal Church but was "providing pastoral care to a congregation outside ECUSA" (the Episcopal Church in the United States of America.)

Leonard explained his understanding of the Episcopal Church as "a collection of congregations affiliated to General Convention" and "not territorial in the sense of dioceses in the Church of England.

He said his original response to the Oklahomans was "purely pastoral."

He added, "there are times when you have to say, 'This is what I think is right, and this is what I've got to do.' I've got to be faithful to my beliefs. There comes a time when you do what you think is right, and you put yourself in the hands of God and take what comes."

Asked if he had reviewed records of ecclesiastical and civil courts related to St. Michael's, Leonard said he had read as much as he could and was making no public statement for which he had not seen documented evidence.

McAllister's statement about the Leonard visit says, "The actions of the Rt. Rev. Graham Leonard in extending his ministry as a bishop to a congregation in another Jurisdiction and in recognizing the orders of a minister duly and canonically tried and deposed from the priesthood are in direct contradiction of the expressed will and wishes or the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church of the United States and the House of Bishops of the Church of England."

McAllister continued, "We reaffirm the actions of these bishops and express deep regret and disappointment in the actions of Bishop Leonard in his disregard of the discipline order and mutual respect that exists within the Anglican Communion."

The McAllister statement concludes, "Because of his actions, we have no choice but to declare Graham Leonard persona non grata in the Diocese of Oklahoma."

Presiding Bishop Browning, in his appeal to Leonard not to visit Broken Arrow, wrote, "On behalf of the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church in the United States, I must ask you to respect its policies on episcopal Jurisdiction as outlined in its statement on episcopal Jurisdiction, which was adopted unanimously and conveyed to the Archbishop of Canterbury. In light of this action of the American House of Bishops, I ask you to defer to the rules of comity and refrain from exercising any episcopal care over a priest and congregation situated within this Jurisdiction without the written consent of the diocesan bishop and with my full acknowledge and assent."

Browning concluded, "Your declaration to do otherwise will by your own decision make you persona non grata in this Jurisdiction and leave me no recourse but to appeal to your ecclesiastical authority to act under your canons to preserve the integrity of the Anglican Communion to take appropriate action."

Leonard told reporters he had checked the canons of the Church of England before he left London and could find nothing he could be "charged with."

During the service in evening at St. Michael's, where a sign says, "All Services Use the 1928 Book of Common Prayer," Pasco, in black cowboy boots and a cope, read a proclamation from Oklahoma Gov. George Nigh making the persona non grata an honorary "territorial marshal."

Leonard said he had a conversation with the Archbishop of Canterbury before he left London.

"We're on perfectly good terms. He didn't say, 'You must not go.'" Leonard said.

Leonard said he had a telephone conversation with McAllister the morning before the press conference but meeting with him would not be possible.

Assisting bishop at the evening confirmation service was the Rt. Rev. Clarence Haden, Jr., who retired in 1978 as Bishop of Northern California.

The evening service, including Leonard's homily about love was videotaped and photographed by cameramen Pasco designated as official. Others were asked not to take pictures after the offertory. Approximately 150 persons attended the event.

Directory of the congregation of 125 households lists addresses in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and Texas, as well as Oklahoma.