Frank the heretic resigns from Anglican - Roman Catholic working group (my title)

[ACNS source: Lambeth Palace] The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has received the resignation of the presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church (USA), Bishop Frank Griswold, as Anglican Co-chair of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission. Following recent events in the life of ECUSA, Bishop Griswold has written to the Archbishop of Canterbury to announce his decision, in the interests of "not jeopardizing the present and future life and work of the Commission". In his response, Archbishop Williams thanked Bishop Griswold for his "outstanding labour and commitment." The text of the letters is below.

ARCIC began work in 1970, following the historic meeting of Archbishop Michael Ramsey and Pope Paul VI in Rome in 1966. It has produced agreed statements on many of the questions that have divided the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion, particularly in the areas of Eucharist, Ministry and Authority. Bishop Griswold has been the Anglican Co-chair since 1998. The Roman Catholic co-chair is Archbishop Alex Brunett, Archbishop of Seattle. A new Anglican co-chair will be appointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, after consultation with the Secretary General of the Anglican Consultative Council.

Given recent events in the life of the Episcopal Church in the United States, and the strain they have caused in the relationship between the Holy See and the Anglican Communion, I wish to submit my resignation as Anglican Co-chair, and member of the Anglican Roman Catholic International Commission. I do so not without regret, but in the interest of not jeopardizing the present and future life and work of the Commission of which I was privileged to be a member.

With continuing prayer for the full and visible communion of the Anglican and Roman Catholic churches, for the sake of our broken and divided world, I am,

This is to confirm formally that I have received the notice of your resignation from ARCIC. As you will know, I am very sorry that this has seemed the best course, but I cannot let the moment pass without paying tribute to your outstanding labour and commitment in this context over many years. Thank you for all you have done for this crucial dialogue.

My dear Rowan,

(I hate you!)

Given recent events in the life of the Episcopal Church in the United States, and the strain they have caused in the relationship between the Holy See and the Anglican Communion,

(Never thought I'd see the day when you, a man who I was certain was as flexible doctrinally as we Americans are sexually; what was that Druid getup about, anyway?--

I wish to submit my resignation as Anglican Co-chair, and member of the Anglican Roman Catholic International Commission.

(--would ACTUALLY TAKE THE PART of a gang of medieval mystics from Rome, Bible-thumping reactionaries from the American backwoods, and those bothersome brown fellows from Africa---who aren't even civilized to the point of being communists yet!--- over your fellow enlightened white upperclass secular humanists in the ECUSA!!)

I do so not without regret,

(I do so because you forced me!)

but in the interest of not jeopardizing the present and future life and work of the Commission of which I was privileged to be a member.

(We were this close, you fool, to making them see that if we only got rid of outmoded ideas like perversion and sin, why, there wouldn't BE any perversion and sin, and everyone would be happy. When I consider that you know this to be the Truth as well as I do, your perfidy is even harder to bear.)

With continuing prayer for the full and visible communion of the Anglican and Roman Catholic churches, for the sake of our broken and divided world,

(Why couldn't you make them see things our way? I thought we were on the same page here, Rowan!)

I am,

(wishing you'd go suck an egg)

Yours sincerely in Christ,

The Most Revd Frank T. Griswold
Presiding Bishop and Primate
Episcopal Church, USA

Text of reply from Archbishop Rowan:

Dear Frank,

This is to confirm formally that I have received the notice of your resignation from ARCIC.

(Stop calling me. People are beginning to notice)

As you will know, I am very sorry that this has seemed the best course,

(Have you any idea of the spot you Americans and Canadians have put me in, by rushing prematurely to implement a plan we all agreed would take another decade of indoctrination at the very minimum? Now they're all onto us! )

but I cannot let the moment pass without

(castigating you one last time for distracting me from what was to be the initial focus of my tenure---bashing your President Bush and calling for an end to a provably just war---and instead forcing me to spend ALL my time trying to placate the people you've pissed off. Which is almost everybody.)

paying tribute to your outstanding labour and commitment in this context over many years. Thank you for all you have done for this crucial dialogue.

(We had found some friendly ears among some minor few of the RC bishops, for all the good it will do us now. Once they behold what will inevitably happen now in the Anglican communion---because of YOU, Frank---they'll all go farther underground than cave moles. Have you ever tried to maintain a dialogue with cave moles, on the importance of coming out into the light? I'll make sure your replacement keeps you informed about what that's like...)

With every blessing,

(Thanks for nothing, Frank!)

+Rowan Cantuar --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.