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.
But I doubt that the Presiding Bishopess and her attack dog Beers are willing to take on the Catholic Church. Picking on small parishes and threatening individual bishops is more their style.