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To: EDINVA
Virginia has a unique statute that tips the balance in favor of the local parish.

Have no idea what the story is in Maryland, but under US Supreme Court precedent individual parishes in "hierarchical" churches are pretty much behind the 8 ball.

19 posted on 06/15/2009 6:05:48 PM PDT by AnAmericanMother (Ministrix of ye Chasse, TTGC Ladies' Auxiliary (recess appointment))
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To: AnAmericanMother

That unique VA statute goes back to the Civil War and obvious splits that arose among the parishes ... it has served Truro, Falls Church and the others quite well under more recent circumstances.

Without getting into the historical religious differences between VA and MD that still resonate in some quarters today, I have to believe this convent in MD is not part or property of the ECUSA diocese. How else could Archbishop O’Brien and other Catholic priests be celebrating a RC Mass in its chapel ? Catholic priests just don’t celebrate Mass in chapels belonging to other faiths, especially if the other faith’s diocese could step in and claim it as their own property.

If the ECUSA or its Baltimore diocese owned the property and the sisters chose to become RC, they would likely transfer to a RC convent. But it sure looks like they’re staying right where they are.

I’m pretty sure the Baltimore RC diocese’s lawyers checked it all out very carefully.


21 posted on 06/16/2009 12:18:41 AM PDT by EDINVA (A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul -- G. B. Shaw)
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