"Padre John Organ, a former Ottawa-based military chaplain, has been appointed chaplain to the bishop of Jerusalem for the next three years. Invited by the Right Rev. Suheil S. Dawani, Organ was installed as residentiary canon of St. George's Cathedral, Jerusalem, on Sunday, July 29 [2012]. He will serve as canon pastor to the English-speaking congregation, assist Bishop Dawani in local ecumenical and inter-faith work and connect international visitors with indigenous Christians. The diocese of Jerusalem spans Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria". Colour photo included. [Text of entire article.]
The Rev. Nicholas Porter, is an Episcopal priest from the diocese of Connecticut, who is Chaplain to the Most Rev. Samir Kafity, and Assistant to the Very Rev. John Tidy, Dean of St. George's Cathedral. In addition, he teaches Church History in English at St. James' Armenian Orthodox Seminary in the Old City. One of Fr. Porter's goals for his seminarians is to have them "gain an understanding of the Anglican and Protestant Churches."
"The global relations program currently has intentional church-to-church relationships in other provinces and dioceses, including the Episcopal Church of Cuba, the Anglican Church of Melanesia, churches in the Philippines, the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem and the Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa, says [Dr. Andrea] Mann [global relations co-ordinator], whose work falls within the primate's office under the area of mission and justice. A central aspect of global relations has always been the international theological education scholarship program. 'Out partners have told us that theological education in the Anglican tradition and the development of academic leadership in the provinces continue to be very important priorities for them', says Mann. A recent anonymous bequest of $160,000 for global relations and theological education will facilitate the support of overseas scholars". "Halfway around the world, in the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, the program appointed the Rev. John Organ, a retired Canadian Forces padre, as chaplain at the request of Bishop Suheil Dawani. The program will cover Organ's stipend for three years as he supports Bishop Dawani in his daily ministry in the troubled Holy Land. In the West Bank, the program aids the Penman Clinic, a medical centre that treats as many as 3,000 people a month in Zababdeh, one of the few remaining Christian villages in the region. 'We fund the purchase of medicines and the maintenance of equipment', says Mann".
Eight page insert (1-8) with May 2013 issue of Anglican Journal. Anglican Church of Canada Ministry Report. Insert produced by Resources for Mission Dept.
An advertisement with colour photos and text for packages of Christmas cards "complete with Compass Rose symbol [which] show images taken from Christmas cribs from around the Anglican Communion that have been exhibited at the Bethlehem Peace Center. All profits go to hands-on work with children; not agencies or offices. Two years ago Bishop Bob Jones, the then dean of St. George's College, and his wife, Mary Page distributed gifts to children on St. Nicholas Day. Can we do it again ?" Cards are ordered from Anglican Communion Office in London, England.
"Edited by Andrew Wingate, Kevin Ward, Carrie Pemberton [and] Wilson Sitshebo"..
Includes bibliographical references.
A collection of 75 essays by 86 contributors "compiled by the Centre for Anglican Communion Studies at the Selly Oak Colleges" -- Foreword, p. v.
Contents are divided into six main sections: "" -- The life of the church -- The Church in society -- Mission of the Church -- The Church and the future and intended to "show to fellow-Anglicans and ecumenical friends the breadth of experience and reflection taking place throughout the worldwide Communion." -- Intro. p. 1.
Contents of introductory section: Foreword by the Archbishop of Canterbury / George L. Carey -- The Contributors -- Editors' Introduction / Andrew Wingate, Kevin Ward, Carrie Pemberton, Wilson Sitshebo -- Salvation and other faiths: An Anglican perspective / Andrew Wingate -- The development of Anglicanism as a global communion / Kevin Ward -- Five years in: where are women in the Church of England ? / Carrie Pemberton and Christina Rees -- How African Anglicans deal with death, funerals and bereavement / Wilson T. Sitshebo.
Contents of Section One: The Church in worship, spirituality and theology: African Anglicans and/or Pentecostals / Allan Anderson -- First Nations spirituality and the Anglican Church in Canada / Joyce Carlson -- Where God still walks in the garden: religious orders and the development of the Anglican Church in the South Pacific / Richard A. Carter -- Celtic spirituality: a contribution to the worldwide Anglican Communion ? / Esther de Waal -- An Anglican's view of the Bible in an East African context / Griphus Gakuru -- Inclusivity, language and worship / Kwok Pui-lan -- Anglican Christianity and communication of the gospel through the arts in Myanmar / Edward Saw Marks -- Death has come to reveal the faith: spirituality in the Episcopal Church of the Sudan amidst civil conflict / Marc Nikkel -- An African Anglican's view of salvation / John S. Pobee -- Anglican spirituality and worship among the Maori people / Tiki Raumati.
Contents of Section Two: The life of the Church: Anglicanism in Jerusalem / Riah Abu El-Assal -- Anglicanism and the Aladura Churches in Nigeria / Afe Adogame and Akin Omoyajowo -- L'Eglise Anglicane du Congo: une province francophone / Georges Titre Ande -- Jubilee: a call to renew the Church of South India after 50 years / J. Russell Chandran -- The role of the Archbishop of Canterbury within the Anglican Communion / Andrew Deuchar -- Why have an Anglican Church on mainland Europe ? / John Hind -- Youth Exchanges: opportunities for young people to experience the Anglican Communion / Paula Hollingsworth -- Alternative patterns for ministry: North and Central America / John L. Kater, Jr. -- The experience of African Americans within ECUSA and their contributions to the past, present and future / Harold T. Lewis -- Being Anglican in a pluralist society: a Canadian perspective / Gordon Light -- Anglicans in the non-English world of South America / Jaci Maraschin -- Australia: the last of lands / James Minchin -- 'Anglicane ? Qu'est-ce que c'est ?': an experience of francophone Anglicans / Tim Naish -- Anglican models for theological education in Southern Africa / Livingstone Lubabalu Ngewu and Luke Lungile Pato -- Anglicanism in West Malaysia / Eddie Ong -- Anglicanism and the Church of South India / P. Victor Premasagar -- New wine, old wineskins: a look at possibilities for a rural diocese in a changing society / Oswald Swartz -- Reflections from ecumenical partners: A Roman Catholic view: the Anglican Church: Federation or Communion ? / Harcourt Blackett -- A Methodist looks at worldwide Anglicanism / Diane Clutterbuck -- A Lutheran looks at worldwide Anglicanism / Aasulv Lande.
Contents of Section Three: The church in society: An Anglican view of ecological issues in the Australian context / Christabel Chamarette -- Minority ethnic Anglicans in Britain / Glynne Gordon-Carter -- A South African reflection on the issue of homosexuality in the Anglican Communion / James GaOfenngwe Keetile -- 'A sanctuary and a light' ?: The Scottish Churches respond to violence against women / Lesley Macdonald -- Church and state in Lesotho: reflections of a retired bishop / Philip Mokuku -- Resisting 'vumilia' theology: the Church and violence against women in Kenya / Esther Mombo -- A Structural Adjustment Programme and its effect on the Zambian people and the Zambian Church / Robert Mumbi -- Male circumcision ('imbalu') among the Bagisu of Uganda and the mission of the church / Beatrice Musindi -- Spirituality and sexuality: Christians and sexual behaviour today / Michael Nazir-Ali -- Youth and the Anglican Church in Madagascar / J. Bruno Ndriamahafahana -- The Church as a source of identity: reflection from the Caribbean / Las Newman -- Polygamy in the African Church today: a Kenyan woman's perspective / Edith Njoki Njiri -- Township women united in prayer / Martha Nkoane -- Refugees and worldwide Anglicanism / M. Louise Pirouet -- Women within Church and society in India / Krupaveni Prakasha Rao and Julie Lipp-Nathaniel -- Living as a minority in Pakistan / Mano Ramalshah -- The healing ministry of the Anglican Church: medical work through institutions / Fannie H. Storr -- Childhood challenges: key issues affecting children and young people throughout the Anglican Communion / Sally Thompson -- Working with women in the Congo / Emma Wild -- Corrymeela: healing the division / Trevor Williams.
Contents of Section Four: Mission in the Church: Dalits and salvation / J. Aruldoss -- Anglican educational institutions and the mission of the Church / Pervez Deen and Rina Deen -- Towards a wider world: partnership and the Church of Bangladesh / Martin Heath -- 'Called to one Hope: the Gospel in diverse cultures': reflections from the perspective of the Church in Wales / Enid R. Morgan -- The Anglican debate in West Africa on Christian-Muslim relations / Ken Okeke -- Evangelism n the Anglican Communion: an overview / Cyril Okorocha -- The mission of the Anglican Church among the indigenous peoples of northern Argentina / Helena Oliver de Wallis -- The Church in Sri Lanka and relations with other faiths / Jayasiri Peiris -- Anglicans and inter-faith relations: a historical retrospect / Israel Selvanayagam.
Contents of Section Five: The Church and the future: All about Eve: woman of Africa / Brigalia Bam -- A vision for theological education in North America / Martha Horne -- Women, Church and ministry in the coming decade / Penny Jamieson -- Beyond revival: a proposal for mission in the Church of Uganda into the third millennium / Amos Kasibante -- The Nippon Sei Ko Kai today and its future task / Samuel Isamu Koshiishi -- A vision for the religious orders in the Anglican Communion in the next century / Una Kroll -- The Mothers' Union of the future / edited by Barbara Laws and Louise Vincer -- A vision for a Church in jubilee: the Anglican Church and social justice in the next millennium / Njongonkulu Ndungane -- The theological and mission tasks facing Hong Kong Anglicans in the years of reunification with China after 1997 / Michael Poon -- Revisioning our Church as a community of belonging: a task for all / Peter B. Price -- The future of the mission agency / Diana Witts -- A vision for the Anglican contribution in the minority context of Korea over the next decade / Jeremiah Guen Seok Yang -- Afterword / George L. Carey.
OTCH Note: Contributors include two Canadians: Joyce Carlson and Gordon Light.
"Edited by Andrew Wingate, Kevin Ward, Carrie Pemberton [and] Wilson Sitshebo".
Foreword by George L. Carey the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Includes bibliographical references.
A collection of 75 essays by 86 contributors "compiled by the Centre for Anglican Communion Studies at the Selly Oak Colleges" (Foreword, p. v).
Contents are divided into five main sections: "The Church in worship, spirituality and theology" -- The life of the church -- The Church in society -- Mission of the Church -- The Church and the future and intended to "show to fellow-Anglicans and ecumenical friends the breadth of experience and reflection taking place throughout the worldwide Communion." -- Intro. p. 1.
Contents of introductory section include: Salvation and other faiths : An Anglican perspective / Andrew Wingate -- The development of Anglicanism as a global communion / Kevin Ward -- Five years in : where are women in the Church of England / Carrie Pemberton and Christina Rees -- How African Anglicans deal with death, funerals and bereavement / Wilson T. Sitshebo.
Contents of section one include: African Anglicans and/or Pentecostals / Allan Anderson -- First Nations spirituality and the Anglican Church in Canada / Joyce Carlson -- Where God still walks in the garden : religious orders and the development of the Anglican Church in the South Pacific / Richard A. Carter -- Celtic spirituality : a contribution to the worldwide Anglican Communion ? / Esther de Waal -- An Anglican's view of the Bible in an East African context / Griphus Gakuru -- Inclusivity, language and worship / Kwok Pui-lan -- Anglican Christianity and communication of the gospel through the arts in Myanmar / Edward Saw Marks -- Death has come to reveal the faith : spirituality in the Episcopal Church of the Sudan amidst civil conflict / Marc Nikkel -- An African Anglican's view of salvation / John S. Pobee -- Anglican spirituality and worship among the Maori people / Tiki Raumati.
Contents of section two include: Anglicanism in Jerusalem / Riah Abu El-Assal -- Anglicanism and the Aladura Churches in Nigeria / Afe Adogame and Akin Omoyajowo -- L'Eglise Anglicane du Congo: une province francophone / Georges Titre Ande -- Jubilee: a call to renew the Church of South India after 50 years / J. Russell Chandran -- The role of the Archbishop of Canterbury within the Anglican Communion / Andrew Deuchar -- Why have an Anglican Church on mainland Europe ? / John Hind -- Youth exchanges: opportunities for young people to experience the Anglican Communion / Paula Hollingsworth -- Alternative patterns for ministry: North and Central America / John L. Kater, Jr. -- The experience of African Americans within ECUSA and their contributions to the past, present and future / Harold T. Lewis -- Being Anglican in a pluralist society / Gordon Light -- Anglicans in the non-English world of South America / Jaci Maraschin -- Australia: the last of lands / James Minchin -- "Anglicane ? Qu'est-ce que c'est ?": an experience of francophone Anglicans / Tim Naish -- Anglican models for theological education in Southern Africa / Livingstone Lubabalu Ngewu and Luke Lungile Pato -- Anglicanism in West Malaysia / Eddie Ong -- Anglicanism and the Church of South India / P. Victor Premasagar -- New wine, old wineskins: a look at possibilities for a rural diocese in a changing society / Oswald Swartz -- Reflections from ecumenical partners: A Roman Catholic view: the Anglican Church: federation or communion ? / Harcourt Blackett -- A Methodist looks at worldwide Anglicanism / Diane Clutterbuck -- A Lutheran looks at worldwide Anglicanism / Aasulv Lande.
Contents of section three include: An Anglican view of ecological issues in the Australian context / Christabel Chamarette -- Minority ethnic Anglicans in Britain / Glynne Gordon-Carter -- A South Africa reflection on the issue of homosexuality in the Anglican Communion / James GaOfenngwe Keetile -- "A sanctuary and a light" ? : The Scottish Churches respond to violence against women / Lesley Macdonald -- Church and state in Lesotho: reflections of a retired bishop / Philip Mokuku -- Resisting vumilia theology: the Church and violence against women in Kenya / Esther Mombo -- A Structural Adjustment Programme and its effect on the Zambian people and the Zambian Church / Robert Mumbi -- Male circumcision (imablu) among the Bagisu of Uganda and the mission of the church / Beatrice Musindi -- Spirituality and sexuality: Christians and sexual behaviour today / Michael Nazir-Ali -- Youth and the Anglican Church in Madagascar / J. Bruno Ndriamahafahana -- The Church as a source of identity: reflection from the Caribbean / Las Newman -- Polygamy in the African Church today: a Kenyan woman's perspective / Edith Njoki Njiri -- Township women united in prayer / Martha Nkoane -- Refugees and worldwide Anglicanism / M. Louise Pirouet -- Women within Church and society in India / Krupaveni Prakasha Rao and Julie Lipp-Nathaniel -- Living as a minority in Pakistan / Mano Ramalshah -- The healing ministry of the Anglican Church: medical work through institutions / Fannie H. Storr -- Childhood challenges: key issues affecting children and young people throughout the Anglican Communion / Sally Thompson -- Working with women in the Congo / Emma Wild -- Corrymeela: healing the division / Trevor Williams.
Contents of section four include: All about Eve: woman of Africa / Brigalia Bam -- A vision for theological education in North America / Martha Horne -- Women, Church and ministry in the coming decade / Penny Jamieson -- Beyond revival: a proposal for mission in the Church of Uganda into the third millennium / Amos Kasibante -- The Nippon Sei Ko Kai today and its future task / Samuel Isamu Koshiishi -- A vision for the religious orders in the Anglican Communion in the next century / Una Kroll -- The Mothers' Union of the future / edited by Barbara Laws and Louise Vincer -- A vision for a Church in jubilee: the Anglican Church and social justice in the next millennium / Njongonkulu Ndungane -- The theological and mission tasks facing Hong Kong Anglicans in the years of reunification with China after 1997 / Michael Poon -- Revisioning our Church as a community of belonging: a task for all / Peter B. Price -- The future of the mission agency / Diana Witts -- A vision for the Anglican contribution in the minority context of Korea over the next decade / Jeremiah Guen Seok Yang -- Afterword / George L. Carey.
Contributors include two Canadians: Joyce Carlson and Gordon Light.
"Edited by Andrew Wingate, Kevin Ward, Carrie Pemberton [and] Wilson Sitshebo".
Foreword by George L. Carey the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Includes bibliographical references.
A collection of 75 essays by 86 contributors "compiled by the Centre for Anglican Communion Studies at the Selly Oak Colleges" (Foreword, p. v).
Contents are divided into five main sections: "The Church in worship, spirituality and theology" -- The life of the church -- The Church in society -- Mission of the Church -- The Church and the future and intended to "show to fellow-Anglicans and ecumenical friends the breadth of experience and reflection taking place throughout the worldwide Communion." -- Intro. p. 1.
Contents of introductory section include: Salvation and other faiths : An Anglican perspective / Andrew Wingate -- The development of Anglicanism as a global communion / Kevin Ward -- Five years in : where are women in the Church of England / Carrie Pemberton and Christina Rees -- How African Anglicans deal with death, funerals and bereavement / Wilson T. Sitshebo.
Contents of section one include: African Anglicans and/or Pentecostals / Allan Anderson -- First Nations spirituality and the Anglican Church in Canada / Joyce Carlson -- Where God still walks in the garden : religious orders and the development of the Anglican Church in the South Pacific / Richard A. Carter -- Celtic spirituality : a contribution to the worldwide Anglican Communion ? / Esther de Waal -- An Anglican's view of the Bible in an East African context / Griphus Gakuru -- Inclusivity, language and worship / Kwok Pui-lan -- Anglican Christianity and communication of the gospel through the arts in Myanmar / Edward Saw Marks -- Death has come to reveal the faith : spirituality in the Episcopal Church of the Sudan amidst civil conflict / Marc Nikkel -- An African Anglican's view of salvation / John S. Pobee -- Anglican spirituality and worship among the Maori people / Tiki Raumati.
Contents of section two include: Anglicanism in Jerusalem / Riah Abu El-Assal -- Anglicanism and the Aladura Churches in Nigeria / Afe Adogame and Akin Omoyajowo -- L'Eglise Anglicane du Congo: une province francophone / Georges Titre Ande -- Jubilee: a call to renew the Church of South India after 50 years / J. Russell Chandran -- The role of the Archbishop of Canterbury within the Anglican Communion / Andrew Deuchar -- Why have an Anglican Church on mainland Europe ? / John Hind -- Youth exchanges: opportunities for young people to experience the Anglican Communion / Paula Hollingsworth -- Alternative patterns for ministry: North and Central America / John L. Kater, Jr. -- The experience of African Americans within ECUSA and their contributions to the past, present and future / Harold T. Lewis -- Being Anglican in a pluralist society / Gordon Light -- Anglicans in the non-English world of South America / Jaci Maraschin -- Australia: the last of lands / James Minchin -- "Anglicane ? Qu'est-ce que c'est ?": an experience of francophone Anglicans / Tim Naish -- Anglican models for theological education in Southern Africa / Livingstone Lubabalu Ngewu and Luke Lungile Pato -- Anglicanism in West Malaysia / Eddie Ong -- Anglicanism and the Church of South India / P. Victor Premasagar -- New wine, old wineskins: a look at possibilities for a rural diocese in a changing society / Oswald Swartz -- Reflections from ecumenical partners: A Roman Catholic view: the Anglican Church: federation or communion ? / Harcourt Blackett -- A Methodist looks at worldwide Anglicanism / Diane Clutterbuck -- A Lutheran looks at worldwide Anglicanism / Aasulv Lande.
Contents of section three include: An Anglican view of ecological issues in the Australian context / Christabel Chamarette -- Minority ethnic Anglicans in Britain / Glynne Gordon-Carter -- A South Africa reflection on the issue of homosexuality in the Anglican Communion / James GaOfenngwe Keetile -- "A sanctuary and a light" ? : The Scottish Churches respond to violence against women / Lesley Macdonald -- Church and state in Lesotho: reflections of a retired bishop / Philip Mokuku -- Resisting vumilia theology: the Church and violence against women in Kenya / Esther Mombo -- A Structural Adjustment Programme and its effect on the Zambian people and the Zambian Church / Robert Mumbi -- Male circumcision (imablu) among the Bagisu of Uganda and the mission of the church / Beatrice Musindi -- Spirituality and sexuality: Christians and sexual behaviour today / Michael Nazir-Ali -- Youth and the Anglican Church in Madagascar / J. Bruno Ndriamahafahana -- The Church as a source of identity: reflection from the Caribbean / Las Newman -- Polygamy in the African Church today: a Kenyan woman's perspective / Edith Njoki Njiri -- Township women united in prayer / Martha Nkoane -- Refugees and worldwide Anglicanism / M. Louise Pirouet -- Women within Church and society in India / Krupaveni Prakasha Rao and Julie Lipp-Nathaniel -- Living as a minority in Pakistan / Mano Ramalshah -- The healing ministry of the Anglican Church: medical work through institutions / Fannie H. Storr -- Childhood challenges: key issues affecting children and young people throughout the Anglican Communion / Sally Thompson -- Working with women in the Congo / Emma Wild -- Corrymeela: healing the division / Trevor Williams.
Contents of section four include: All about Eve: woman of Africa / Brigalia Bam -- A vision for theological education in North America / Martha Horne -- Women, Church and ministry in the coming decade / Penny Jamieson -- Beyond revival: a proposal for mission in the Church of Uganda into the third millennium / Amos Kasibante -- The Nippon Sei Ko Kai today and its future task / Samuel Isamu Koshiishi -- A vision for the religious orders in the Anglican Communion in the next century / Una Kroll -- The Mothers' Union of the future / edited by Barbara Laws and Louise Vincer -- A vision for a Church in jubilee: the Anglican Church and social justice in the next millennium / Njongonkulu Ndungane -- The theological and mission tasks facing Hong Kong Anglicans in the years of reunification with China after 1997 / Michael Poon -- Revisioning our Church as a community of belonging: a task for all / Peter B. Price -- The future of the mission agency / Diana Witts -- A vision for the Anglican contribution in the minority context of Korea over the next decade / Jeremiah Guen Seok Yang -- Afterword / George L. Carey.
Contributors include two Canadians: Joyce Carlson and Gordon Light.
"2005 marks the Anglican Peace and Justice Network's 20th anniversary and its meeting in Jerusalem in September 2004 brings it full circle to its first meeting which also took place in the City of Peace in 1985. Invited by the Right Reverend Riah Hanna Abu El-Assal, APJN convened 23 Provinces of the Anglican Communion under the leadership of Dr. Jenny Te Paa of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia ... (p. 7)". "APJN was both nurtured and shaken during its visit, the former by the warmth of the people of the diocese (virtually all of them Palestinian), and the latter by the conditions of Occupation under which most Palestinians live (p. 7)". "We recognize that the Israeli people have endured attacks and suicide bombings causing great suffering, loss and agony, and that the fear of further suicide bombings continues. We also recognize and lament the historical context of the experience of persecution and genocide by the Jewish people. However, the extent to which the Israeli government has gone in annexing Palestinian land and pushing the Palestinians into cantons and denying this people both dignity and self-determination is unjustifiable. If Israel continues with its actions in the name of security (as is often argued) then their hope for life without fear is diminished as the Palestinian people will continue in their struggle for nationhood (p. 9)".
Contents divided into four main sections.
Contents: List of Participant Provinces -- The Local Context of the Meeting -- Moral Responsibility of Investments -- APJN Statement on Palestinian/Israeli Conflict -- Honoring a Peacemaker -- Regional Conflicts : Seeking Conflict Transformation -- A Personal Challenge to the Communion / Pie Ntukamazina -- The Challenge of Globalization -- Environmental Justice -- Theological Education as Foundational to Peacemaking -- Interfaith Relations as a Tool for Justice -- A Conversation with Mordechai Vanunu -- Recommendations to the Anglican Consultative Council -- Networking -- Business Meeting and Closing Comments.
Section III Recommendations organized into four subject sections: Conflict Transformation -- Theological Education -- Interfaith Relations -- Environment.
The Anglican Church of Canada was represented by Ms. Cynthia Patterson.
Archbishop Andrew Hutchison, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, has written to Canadian Foreign Minister Pierre Pettigrew asking the government to express concern to the government of Israel over an armed intrusion into St. George's Anglican Cathedral in Jerusalem.
On Thursday, Anglican Bishop Riah Abu El-Assal of Jerusalem reported that about 30 armed Israeli officers entered the cathedral to arrest Mordecai [sic Mordechai] Vanunu. (Mr. Vanunu, a former nuclear technician, was released from jail last April after serving 18 years for revealing details of Israel's plans to develop nuclear weapons.)
Archbishop Hutchison also wrote a letter to Bishop Riah, saying he deplored "the seemingly excessive force that was used at the cathedral".
The text of the Canadian Primate's two letters follows:
Letter to Foreign Minister Pierre Pettigrew
Earlier this week an incident happened in Jerusalem, which has greatly disturbed me and members of the Anglican Church of Canada. Israeli special police entered in force the grounds of St. George's Anglican Cathedral to apprehend Mordecao Vanunu. Bishop Riah H. Abu El-Assal has reported on the traumatic effect this action had on the tourists, pilgrims and others who were present.
At a time when the issue of sanctuary is in the headlines in Canada, this incident brings to our attention once more the inappropriateness of breaching this longstanding tradition and right. I ask that you convey to the government of Israel our concern and that of the Canadian people over this unfortunate incident.
I have assured Bishop Riah of the church's support and prayers as his people, mainly Palestinian Anglicans, move through a period of shock as the nation mourns the death of President Yasser Arafat. I have also expressed my hope that new ways may now be found to enable the people of Israel and Palestine to live in peace, and to flourish.
Letter to Bishop Riah H. Abu El-Assal
I was saddened and alarmed by the news in your letter to me and other Primates about the incident at St. George's Cathedral earlier this week. From your report the actions of the Israeli special police force seem quite inappropriate and offensive. There has been a very longstanding tradition of respecting the holy places, not just in Jerusalem but around the world, and the breaching of the right of sanctuary is not acceptable. I deplore the seemingly excessive force that was used at the cathedral close as the police took Mordecai Vanunu into custody, shocking and traumatizing those tourist, pilgrims and others who were present.
I am writing to the Canadian foreign minister, the Honourable Pierre Pettigrew urging him to express these concerns to the government of Israel.
Please be assured of our continuing prayers for you and for your church as you recover from this incident, and as you live through this time of mourning for President Yasser Arafat. My prayer is that new ways may be found to enable the people of Israel and Palestine to live in peace, and to flourish.
Archbishop Andrew Hutchison, Primate
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For more information, please contact: Vianney (Sam) Carriere, Director of Communications, 416-924-9199 ext. 306; scarriere@national.anglican.ca
The Anglican Refugee and Migration Network met in Amman Jordan from 12-20 May 1992. Twenty-four delegates from Anglican churches in six continents, including Mrs. Elsa Musa from the Anglican Church of Canada, discussed the work and commitment of the Anglican Communion to the plight of refugees around the world.
Sir Paul Reeves, the Anglican Communion Observer at the United Nations also attended.
Delegates visited a Jordanian Anglican congregation but were unable to visit Anglicans in Jerusalem and the West Bank due to an Israeli Civil Service Strike.