Archbishop Shane B. Janzen and Bishop Craig Botterill of the Anglican Catholic Church of Canada, Traditional Anglican Communion, have issued the following statement on the recent Anglican Joint Synods held in Atlanta, Georgia–
October 6, 2017
Octave Day of St. Michael and All Angels
To the Clergy and Laity of the
Anglican Catholic Church of Canada
Traditional Anglican Communion
Beloved Brethren in Christ:
The Peace of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
Today, at the Anglican Joint Synods held in Atlanta, Georgia, an Intercommunion Agreement was signed between the Anglican Church in America (TAC), the Anglican Catholic Church (Original Province), the Anglican Province of America, and the Diocese of the Holy Cross.
This Intercommunion Agreement (communio in sacris) marks a milestone in the developing relationship of fellowship and cooperation among the Continuing Anglican Churches in the United States. The hard work and ongoing efforts of Bishop Brian Marsh, the Presiding Bishop of the Anglican Church in America (our sister Church in the TAC), together with the other bishops, has brought about the healing of old divisions within the Continuing Anglican Churches in the United States, and the promotion of unity within Christ’s one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
Although the Intercommunion Agreement extends only to those four Continuing Anglican Churches in the United States, your Primate and Bishops will take this opportunity to promote further dialogue and initiatives which may result in intercommunion agreements with other member Churches of the Traditional Anglican Communion. Indeed, it is our hope and prayer that this initiative will lead to further ecumenical dialogue, cooperation and reconciliation between and among the Continuing Anglican Churches around the world, as well as here in Canada. We are stronger and more effective in our Christian witness if we stand together in the Name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
For us here in Canada, I would hope that such dialogue would result in the reunion of our once single Continuing Anglican Church in Canada – the Anglican Catholic Church of Canada established in 1979 – which only divided in 2010 over the issue of the Ordinariate, something now over and done with, leaving no further reason or impediment to reunification.
Finally, our prayers and thanksgiving are offered for the patience, vision, and tireless efforts of the Bishops, Clergy and Laity of the four Continuing Churches in the United States who have brought to fruition this historic Intercommunion Agreement; in particular, Bishop Brian Marsh (APA/TAC), Archbishop Mark Haverland (ACC-OP), Bishop Walter Grundorf (APA), and Bishop Paul Hewitt (DHC). Let us then build on this Agreement that we may fulfill the prayer of our Lord Jesus Christ: “Father, I pray that they might be one, even as you and I are One, so that the world will believe that you sent Me.”
Yours faithfully in Christ Jesus our Lord,
Archbishop Shane B. Janzen, OSG, DD
Primate of the Traditional Anglican Communion
Metropolitan, Anglican Catholic Church of Canada,
and Bishop Ordinary, Diocese of Canada West
Bishop Craig Botterill, QC, DD
Bishop Ordinary, Diocese of Canada East
and Provincial Chancellor
The Anglican Catholic Church of Canada