Report of the Bishop Ordinary to the Forces
https://archives.anglican.ca/link/official7453
- Date
- 1977 August 5-9
- Source
- House of Bishops Minutes
- Type
- Resolution
- Mover
- Bishop Hambidge
- Seconder
- Bishop Conlin
- Prologue
- Moved by: Bishop Hambidge
- Seconded by: Bishop Stiff
- "That we lift from the table the resolution re the Bishop Ordinary and the Chaplain Service." CARRIED
- Text of motion
- "(a) That this House of Bishops reaffirms the following statement of Policy passed by the House at its meeting May 7-8, 1972 with respect to the Chaplain Service and the House of Bishops.
- STATEMENT OF POLICY
- In the light of the development of this area of the Church's work over the years, the following statement of policy is submitted for the consideration of the House.
- (1) A priest going into full-time ministry in the Canadian Forces Chaplain Service shall be recognized as serving in a special, an in some ways, unique area of ministry and administration.
- (2) A chaplain will be retained on the clergy list of his home diocese as "On Leave to the Canadian Forces Chaplain Service."
- (3) A Letter of Transfer will be issued by the Bishop of his home diocese to the Bishop Ordinary to the Forces as follows:
- "I hereby certify that the Rev. A.B., having with my consent accepted a commission as Chaplain in Her Majesty's Canadian Forces is in good standing and I hereby transfer him to your episcopal jurisdiction during his time of service."
- (4) The bishop Ordinary, before issuing a licence for a chaplain to minister in the Armed Forces shall require from him "the usual oaths and subscriptions, and declaration of submission to the Canons of General Synod and those of the Provincial and Diocesan Synods where he may from time to time be stationed."
- Canon (XVIII)
- (5) Bishops and chaplains are urged to maintain as fully as possible a link of communication and concern between the chaplain and his home diocese."
- (b) recognizing the impossibility of a Bishop who carries full-time responsibility as an active Bishop in his Diocese fulfilling the responsibilities of a Father-in-God to the Anglican Clergy and Laity associated with the operation of the Canadian forces, supports the policy of appointing as Bishop Ordinary to the Forces a Bishop who is not at the same time responsible for a full-time ministry in a Diocese.
- (c) considers that the responsibility of the Bishop Ordinary to the Forces is for the episcopal care of Anglican clergy and laity who live within the 'Forces Community', within and beyond the borders of Canada. Anglican clergy in the Chaplain Service serve under the 'episcopal jurisdiction during (their) time of service' of the Bishop Ordinary to the Forces. They also serve, along with the laity, within the episcopal care of the Bishop Ordinary to the Forces. Episcopal care should involve the periodic visit of the Bishop Ordinary to the places where his people live. It is assumed that the Bishop Ordinary will visit Bases for the purpose of conducting Confirmation Services or other episcopal acts by right in consultation with Diocesan Bishops. It is expected that Chaplains will normally look to the Bishop Ordinary to the Forces for the exercise of his episcopal ministry. Problems of time and distance will sometimes make it impossible for the Bishop Ordinary to fulfill all the requirements, in which case a local bishop should be called upon."
- (d) The Bishop Ordinary will be the official representative of the Anglican Church of Canada on the Chaplaincy committee of the Canadian Council of Churches." CARRIED.
- Subjects
- Chaplains, Military - Anglican Church of Canada
- Anglican Church of Canada. General Synod. Constitution. Canon XVIII
- Anglican Church of Canada. Bishop Ordinary to the Armed Forces
- Anglican Church of Canada. Bishop Ordinary to the Canadian Forces
- Anglican Church of Canada - Clergy - Licensing
- Canadian Council of Churches. Chaplaincy Committee - Membership