Bishop Pierre Whalon Updates the Diocese in Europe Bishop's Council on the US Episcopal Church



Bishop Pierre Whalon, the Bishop in Charge of the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe, and an Honorary Assistant Bishop in the Diocese in Europe, was a special guest at a recent session of the Bishop's Council. (The Convocation was formerly known as the Convocation of American Churches in Europe. We in the Diocese in Europe were unaware of this name change which Bishop Pierre pointed out was needed since many members of his congregations are not Americans, and that there are other American churches in Europe).

The Convocation website lists 8 parishes and 7 mission congregations, and is constitutionally part of the Episcopal Church, the United States based Province of the Anglican Communion. The Convocation sends 4 clergy and 4 laity (along with its bishop) to the triennial General Convention in the USA.

Reflecting on the General Convention which met this year in Anaheim California, Bishop Pierre stated that the Episcopal Church's mind on blessing gay unions and on ordaining partnered gay people is divided. Despite what was widely reported, according to the bishop the General Convention did not end the moratoria on same-sex blessings and ordinations of homosexual, non-celibate, bishops. However it did approve an open process for the consideration of theological and liturgical resources for the blessing of same sex relationships and encouraged a “generous pastoral provision”.

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