Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Let's Look Again At The Timeline

Most of the pieces have been public knowledge and published on various blogs for years. But nobody's pulled them together:
  • October 2007: TAC and ACA Bishops sign the Portsmouth Petition to Pope Benedict XVI. Bps Marsh and Strawn were not present from the ACA. However, a knowledgeable party tells me that the draft of the Letter to the Vatican was in the hands of all the ACA bishops before the Portsmouth meeting. Marsh and Moyer delegated Langberg to sign on their behalf. The signed document reveals that he is the authorized signer on behalf of American bishops who could not be present, namely Brian Marsh and David Moyer. He added their names to the Petition. (They are all in his neat handwriting.)
  • Nov. 4, 2009: Anglicanorum coetibus is issued together with complementary norms.
  • March 3, 2010: All members of the ACA House of Bishops sign a petition to the Holy See requesting the erection of a personal ordinariate in the United States of America as soon as possible.
  • Later in March 2010: Brian Marsh addresses at least one DONE parish opposing Anglicanorum coetibus.
  • Summer 2010: Daren Williams refuses to ordain as priests two DOW transitional deacons who support Anglicanorum coetibus. He inhibits one, Andrew Bartus, on this basis.
  • Late 2010: John Hepworth erects the Patrimony of the Primate to protect parishes wishing to enter the Ordinariate from adverse episcopal actions by ACA bishops who oppose Anglicanorum coetibus, in spite of their signatures on the March 3 petition.
  • January 30, 2011: St Mary of the Angels votes to enter Patrimony of the Primate.
  • February 5, 2011: ACA issues a letter through its chancellors saying it will not join with its Archbishop, John Hepworth, and accept the Pope's offer of a personal ordinariate. Brian Marsh, still only Bishop of the Northeast, speaks on behalf of the ACA. In the same letter, the chancellors announce those in the Patrimony are no longer in the ACA. Louis Campese resigns as Bishop of the Eastern US and takes numerous parishes into his own pro-diocese as well.
  • April 26, 2011: ACA Bishops reach a "Solemn Agreement" that they would separate on amicable terms: The Ordinariate-bound bishops would no longer vote on any matter not pertaining to them, and the loyalists would not do anything to interfere with those heading for the Ordinariate. Following this agreement, which was brokered by Louis Falk, Brian Marsh was elected President of the ACA House of Bishops.
There's a lot -- a lot -- about the interstices between these events that I'd like to know, as, I'm sure, would many others. Clearly Marsh played a role that so far no one has disclosed. I deeply appreciate the continued insights of informed parties.