Just a little while longer

I have ordered another update of Photoshop so once it arrives, I can put up the backlog of kitteh photos and anything else I want to post.

On what am I gnawing these days?

the Arizona immigration law
the possibility that the Dems will lose the House
the Republicans stonewalling on finance reform
all the Anglican Communion follies
my parents' sixtieth (!!!) wedding anniversary tomorrow
continued concern for my bishop in El Salvador
what is on my schedule for the next three months

That all will keep me off the streets at night.

Easter 4C sermon

The sermon is up over at the church blog.

What northerners have to do...

... to hang out in a hammock...

when there is no tree close enough to another to put up a hammock.

So, as an early birthday present for my prime year, Compa got me a hammock stand. It arrived in a box so demolished that we had to take everything out to make sure it all had arrived intact. A bit banged up but it will do.

I bought the hammock in the photo in 1994 at the mercado central close to the Catedral Metropolitano in San Salvador and have never used it until today when I tried it out. It will do just fine.


While in El Salvador, I got a chance to rest some in a hammock at the bishop's house. There, the hammock is in an enclosed patio with all manner of happy plants, ferns with fronds so long that they touch the ground even though they hang four and a half feet up, and fruit trees. Somehow, setting up the hammock on the patio at the rectory where there is relatively little privacy is not quite the same.

Come summer, I will move the stand out into the yard under the shade of the large maple tree (until I get hit by bird or squirrel guano).

Still, I can see that hammock coming into use on a Sunday afternoon when I have polished off the New York Times.

The deal-breakers

... nothing new really but just more reason why this Anglican Covenant should die a graceful death.

From the Global South crowd:

We believe that all those who adopt the Covenant must be in compliance with Lambeth 1.10. Meanwhile we recognize that the Primates Meeting, being responsible for Faith and Order, should be the body to oversee the Covenant in its implementation, not the Standing Committee of the Anglican Communion.

Lambeth 1998 I.10 ad nauseum. If that resolution which has no legal authority is a deal-breaker, then those provinces that hitherto have categorically refused to engage in a thoughtful, reasoned conversation about human sexuality and who continue to treat the LGBT community as disordered also need to respect the portion of said resolution that calls upon them to do these things: talk about sexuality and treat all people as worthy of God's love AS THEY ARE. Until then, they are hypocritical and cannot command a higher moral authority.

God forbid that we end up with the primates acting as our magisterium. We are Anglicans, for pity's sake. There is a wideness in God's mercy as there is a wideness in Anglican theology. We do not need litmus tests that these bishops would want to impose on the rest of us. Thank you very much but no thanks.

These folks need to form their Baptist/Calvinist/Evangelical Church and stop calling themselves Anglican.

Grump.

Really upsetting

Someone I know posted on Facebook the link to this group:

Dear Lord, this year you took my favorite actor, Patrick Swayzie... you took my favorite actress, Farah Fawcett, you took my favorite singer, Michael Jackson... my favorite president is Barack Obama.

It is not funny. It is sick. These people are advocating that he die. No matter how much one dislikes another person, there is no place for wanting their death. There are enough nutcases out there who would take this to heart and make sure it happens.

I have not figured out how to communicate to this person how offensive this group is and how the poster might want to rethink being associated with such a perverse group. Meanwhile, I stew.

Double red

[Hooked up to the apheresis machine, intake mode]

Depending on where I travel in El Salvador determines whether or not I can donate blood. If I stay put in San Salvador, there is no problem. But if I go to Usulután or Chalatenango, it is a one-year prohibition because they are malaria areas. This go-round, I was good to go.

This is the fourth time I have given a double-red donation. It's two for the price of one. They take out twice the amount of red cells, put back your plasma with saline solution and off you go. It takes 45 minutes and means you only can give once every four months but it also enables someone to receive double the amount of red cells from a sole donor (eventually one runs out of options when receiving transfusions).

Donating has been a rule of life ever since I first gave first year in college. The only time I have not donated for an extended amount of time was when the travel restrictions were three years for having travelled in a malaria country. (I wonder when they will count dengue?) Otherwise, I pretty much have been a regular giver.

This machine is interesting because it is a centrifuge. The machine separates the red cells from the plasma (that is the liquid in the bag in the picture). There are two lines — in and out — that go through one needle. The phlebotomist puts a cuff on your arm that squeezes it tightly to get a faster draw (5-7 minutes). It then releases and, after a second, the saline solution and platelets return via two separate lines — you feel a tingling in your lips and the coolness of temperature of the liquids as they enter your arm. Then the cuff tightens up again for round two. I have found that it is best to glug some cranberry juice and eat some cookies to get sugar into me so there is not the dropping elevator sensation. Otherwise, it is no big deal.

I do this mostly because we have yet to figure out how to manufacture artificially blood... and because something like 5% of elegible donors in the US actually gives.

The ABC has caved

And I quote Archbishop Rowan Williams: ' In all your minds there will be questions around the election and consecration of Mary Glasspool in Los Angeles. All of us share the concern that in this decision and action the Episcopal Church has deepened the divide between itself and the rest of the Anglican family. And as I speak to you now, I am in discussion with a number of people around the world about what consequences might follow from that decision, and how we express the sense that most Anglicans will want to express, that this decision cannot speak for our common mind.'

Well.. some of my questions are: Why did it take so long to elect another highly qualified priest, someone who could run circles around many of us other clergy?

Why should one adjective ('lesbian') disqualify her from becoming a bishop?

As for TEC deepening the divide between itself and the rest of the Anglican family (a word I have always steered clear of, let's call it the koinonia)... we are not isolated. There ARE other provinces who rejoice in this election. We are not by ourselves. He may want to think we are isolated but we are NOT!

Consequences? Kick us out. Our relationships with parts of the Anglican Communion will continue.

I am appalled. Utterly appalled by this caving to bigotry, fear mongering and pandering to a loud, well-funded group. He has caved, he is in a cave of fear.

He needs our prayers even more than ever.

Just in case you were wondering...

how to pronounce that glacier volcano's name...

Scenes from the consecration

Just a few photos for teasers....


Two Rev'd Dr Canon Executive Council members=trouble or plotting resurrection



With the rector of the congregation where I grew up (i.e., I was there long before he was...) and where my mother still attends


Meeting Dr Jenny Te Paa of New Zealand, an amazing person


The 15th Bishop Diocesan of Connecticut flanked by two Executive Council members, present and former

More later.

Easter 3C

Yesterday's sermon is up over at the church blog.

New Primate of IARCA

New Primate in the Anglican Church of the Region of Central America (IARCA)
by Susanna Barrera

Panama 16 April 2010

The Right Reverend Armando Guerra of Guatemala was elected Presiding Bishop of the Anglican Church of the Region of Central America during their 4th Provincial Synod, which was celebrated in Panama April 15-17 2010. Some of his roles include maintaining communication with the rest of the Anglican Communion, accompanying his people of the region and being the highest expression of unity. He assumes the position in the context of a new mission of IARCA.

Guerra, 60 years old, is married to Norma Elizabeth Romero. They have three children and three grandchildren.

The new primate will function for a period of four years as established by the canons of this church.

Guerra, visibly moved, said, "Thank you for this support. It is an extremely difficult task, beginning a new era in a new place." He also thanked God, his brother bishops and his family.

Bishop Julio Murray of Panama was elected Vice-President of the House of Bishops and Bishop Héctor Monterroso of Costa Rica will continue as Executive Secretary of the Province.

The new bishop will take on the challenge of accompanying and executing the "Consultative Document in Mission," which was created during this Synod and which is based on several resolutions which will strengthen the path of IARCA.

Guerra assumes his position from Bishop Martín Barahona, Bishop of El Salvador, who functioned as primate during the past eight years. The installation of Bishop Guerra as Primate of IARCA will be this coming June 12th in Guatemala.


IARCA celebrated this meeting at the historic, "City of Knowledge," (formerly
Fort Clayton) in the former Canal Zone which was occupied by the United States from where they administered the Panama Canal. Today this city offers hospitality services and is the seat of United Nations programs and other organizations.


The new primate received many congratulations from those present and was received with the Doxology, the traditional Anglican hymn of thanks.



Nuevo Primado en Iglesia Anglicana de América Central


Panamá, 16 de abril de2010. El reverendísimo Armando Guerra de Guatemala fue electo Obispo Primado de la Iglesia Anglicana de la Región Central de América (IARCA), durante el IV Sínodo Provincial celebrado en Panamá del 15 al 17 de abril de 2010.

Guerra de 60 años de edad,está casado con Norma Elizabeth Romero, han procreado tres hijos y tienen tres nietos. El nuevo Obispo Primado asume en el contexto de una nueva misión de la IARCA. Entre sus roles están el mantener comunicación con el resto de la Comunión Anglicana, acompañar a sus similares de la región y ser expresión máxima de unidad.

El nuevo Obispo Primadoejercerá para un período de cuatro años como lo establecen los cánones de esta Iglesia.

“Gracias por este apoyo, esta es una tarea sumamente difícil, comienza una nueva era ,un nuevo espacio”, dijo Guerra, visiblemente emocionado, a su vez agradeció a Dios, a sus hermanos obispos y a su familia.

Como Vicepresidente de la Cámara de Obispo fue electo el Obispo Julio Murray de Panamá y continúa como secretario ejecutivo el Obispo Héctor Monterroso de Costa Rica.

Entre los retos y desafíos que debe tomar el nuevo Primado es el acompañamiento y ejecución del “Documento Consulta en Misión”, que fue trabajado durante este Sínodo y fue base para varias resoluciones que fortalecen el caminar de IARCA.

Guerra susede en su cargo al Obispo Martín Barahona de El Salvador, quien fungió como Primado durante 8 años.

La instalación del Obispo Guerra como Primado de la IARCA será el próximo 12 de junio en Guatemala.

IARCA celebró esta reunión en la histórica “Ciudad del Saber” de la capital panameña. Zona anteriormente ocupada por estadounidenses que administraban el canal de Panamá. En la actualidad esta ciudadela presta servicios de hospedaje y es sede de programas de Naciones Unidas y otras organizaciones.

El nuevo Primado recibió múltiples felicitaciones de los presentes y fue recibido con la Doxología, tradicional himno de gratitud de la Comunión Anglicana.

(translated by Caminante)

An Aloha moment

Yesterday after all the conversation about cilantro — whether you love it or hate it and how that might well be pre-determined — I had an Aloha moment, a craving for cilantro.

For those of you who have not been to San Salvador, you would not know that near the pro-cathedral is a funky sports-restaurant called Aloha. It is within walking distance and when I lived at the cathedral during sabbatical I occasionally would take lunch there. My usual lunch was pollo a la plancha, grilled chicken, which came with pico de gallo and fries. So last night I made a good bowl of homemade salsa with lots of cilantro and roasted some potatoes to go with the chicken.

Definitely an Aloha moment!

Tonight before vestry a simple bowl of salsa will have to suffice.

[photo surprisingly does not have cilantro but that is because that particular bowl of salsa had ingredients that came only from my garden and the cilantro was past.]

Just a small note from the Most Rev'd Martin Barahona

Solo una pequeña nota

Reciban mi amor y agradecimiento por sus oraciones y expresión de solidaridad con motivo del terrible atentado criminal, el cual sufrí el 17 de marzo del corriente año, y en el cual mi motorista Francis Martínez resultó gravemente herido, pero gracias a Dios ya está fuera de peligro y en recuperación y del que yo salí ileso. Gracias por su solidaridad y a su constante oraciones que han sido nuestro mejor escudo protector.

Doy gracias a Dios por la expresión de amistad que he recibido de iglesias amigas y de toda la Comunión Anglicana, lo cual me da confianza para continuar en el servicio a Dios en este mi amado país El Salvador

Aprovecho la oportunidad para desearles felices pascuas de resurrección.

Rvdmo. Martin Barahona
Obispo de la Iglesia Episcopal de El Salvador
Y Primado de la Iglesia Anglicana de la Región Central de America (IARCA)


Just a small note

Receive my love and thanks for your prayers and expressions of solidarity after the terrible criminal assassination attempt which I suffered on 17 March of this year and in which my driver, Francis Martinez, was gravely injured. However, thanks be to God, he already is out of danger and is recovering and I was not injured. Thank you for your solidarity and your constant prayers which have been our best protective shield.

I give thanks to God for the expressions of friendship I have received from our friends in the church and in all of the Anglican Communion. These give me the confidence to continue in the service of God in my beloved country of El Salvador.

I also take this opportunity to wish you a happy and blessed Easter.

The Most Rev'd Martin Barahona
Bishop of the Episcopal Church of El Salvador
and Primate of the Anglican Church of the Region of Central America

[photo taken during his recent trip to San Francisco; he is wearing a stole the children from the parish I serve made him in October 2009]

+++

Francis will have the stitches removed from his stomach tomorrow; last week the doctors put a plate and six screws in his elbow; these will be permanent. The pain in his elbow is still quite noticeable at night; during the day it is not overwhelming.

The IAES still greatly appreciates all of your prayers.

Ya es santo

Over in Facebook land, I am a fan of the Juventud Anglicana de El Salvador. They posted some photos today of a Holy Week retreat held out at El Maizal, about 80 kms to the west of San Salvador. This site once was a farm and then became an agricultural school until the conflict wherein it was abandoned. The IAES became owner of it in the 1980s but only in the late 1990s began to reconsider what to do with the property.

When I went to El Salvador in 2002 for the first Cristosal board meeting, the bishop spoke of his plans for the property, plans which at the time meant buying five more acres of land. When a group of Episcopal communicators and I visited El Maizal in 2004, the local leader showed us the bishop's plans for the property. We called it, 'Martín's field of dreams.'

By 2007, the school, thirty homes and spiffing up of the main building had already happened. Agricultural projects were well under way. My last time there, in 2008, a small swimming pool had been installed (somewhere I read it was the gift of the Bishop of Los Angeles) and the main building fully rehabbed. Since then, the church has been renovated and they are working on forming a congregation. There is bakery out there that is fully functional.

In February of this year, during the tenth year anniversary celebration of the founding of Cristosal, the bishop dedicated an obelisk with a celtic cross up top and a plaque at the bottom with the names of the Cristosal board, recognising the work that international citizens have accomplished in partnership with the IAES. Though I am not on the Cristosal board and have not been since 2005, my name is there, too, something for which I am most honoured.



I love the fact that the youth of the diocese chose to have a night-time outdoor Eucharist at the foot of the obelisk (that will also serve as a columbarium). I think the youth are the first to bless the obelisk in this manner.

As an advertisement, make sure that your parish includes in its bulletins on Sunday 25 April, the Episcopal News Service leaflet on Cristosal. Go over to ENS to get it and then get it to the church office.

Caminar es pensar

To walk is to think.

That is what I told the office staff of the Iglesia Anglicana Episcopal de El Salvador on my last day in El Salvador three weeks ago. I had not been able to go on any walks during my time there. I accepted having my wings clipped, given what had just transpired with the assassination attempt. But I so needed to walk to sort things out in my head that I finagled a walk on my last morning from where I was staying to the diocesan office, a 15 minute-walk, if that.

Caminar es pensar. Walking is where I can pound out thoughts, such as my frustration with the increasing power grab attempts on the part of the GAFCON (I keep typing GAGCON) primatial contingent and fatigue with repeated referrals to Lambeth 1998 I.10 as though it is holy writ.

And walking is where I pray... for Francis. Nearly four weeks later, he is healing somewhat. His stomach is fairly well healed. In his operation, the doctors put in six screws and plates in his elbow. He suffers a lot of pain from that injury. His soul, too, suffers. He understandably is afraid to venture out into public.

The folks of the IAES greatly appreciate everyone's prayers. Keep them coming. It makes a world of difference.

[photo: heading toward Acebo, Spain, Camino walk 2004]

Primatial follies

From the Lead

The Most Revd Ian Ernest, G.O.S.K, Bishop of Mauritius and Archbishop of the Province of the Indian Ocean has written to the Archbishop of Canterbury asking for a Primates meeting which excludes the Primates of The Episcopal Church and The Anglican Church of Canada, suspending communion with all except bishops who have publicly disavowed TEC and ACoC actions, and calling for a restructure of the Anglican Communion with the Primates in charge.

I have a sinking feeling because one of our allies, the Primate of IARCA, is about to step down from his position, and I am worried about the election.

Right now, the primates can go meet by themselves, concoct whatever they want and regardless, the work of the church, done by the people of God, will go on. This attempt at a power grab is sickening. What concerns me, too, is that the ABC is going to fall for it.

Prayers for IARCA

The Synod of the Iglesia Anglicana de la Región de Central América is meeting this week in Panamá. Our Padre Mickey will be on the scene with camera and taking notes for us. He is also preparing the opening liturgy which will take place tomorrow night.

This meeting is an important one because at it they will elect the third archbishop of the province. Their canons allow for two consecutive four-year terms. Bishop Martín Barahona of El Salvador, elected in April 2002 after the death of Cornelius Wilson of Costa Rica, has now completed those two terms and it is time for someone else to take the place. Tea leaf reading indicates it will be the bishop of Guatemala, Armando Guerra, who will be elected, but who knows what the Holy Spirit will be? There is hardly a large field — since the Bishop of El Salvador is ineligible, save changing the canons, that leaves Guatemala, Nicaragua (Sturdy Downs), Panamá (Julio Murray) and Costa Rica (Hector Monterossa). I would be amazed if the bishop of Nicaragua were elected... he has struggled with health issues of late. So that leaves Guate whose bishop has the longest experience, then Panamá and Costa Rica in terms of consecration.

So hold this young province, just barely 12 years old, as it moves through its synod, that God's grace and wisdom shall prevail and politics might sit in the backseat.

I would expect there be a celebration of Bishop Barahona's ministry as archbishop. I hope so! All I can say is that things will be quite different henceforth.

After a long hiatus

It has been ages since I put up photos of the cats... that is largely because when my computer died, I lost my Photoshop application and I still haven't found the installer disk so am without and am not happy with how iPhoto works. So while I have lots and lots of photos of the four, I haven't gotten them shrunk down in a satisfactory manner.

Meanwhile, this past weekend, I went to the 125th anniversary celebration of the founding of the Glee Club at my alma mater. While there, I met a woman who is a grad student at my grad school, studying in the same field, medieval French language and literature. So here is a class of 2005 with a class of 1979 from the same college. May she obtain her Ph.D. in far less time than it took me (she is a fourth year student).

Her experience is a positive one, good adviser, loving the material. I loved the material but had a dreadful adviser. That can make all the difference in the world.

Otherwise, it has been busy and I have been recovering from all the running since February. I did not realise how tired I was until last week.

Round up of status updates from FB

These snippets give an idea of Holy Week for this one priest...

Monday 29 March: One HE done... nice quiet liturgy... only Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday to go.

Tuesday 30 March: Back from quiet day at the cathedral with renewal of ordination vows, blessing of the oils, gearing up for the 5.30 HE and glad that the rectory basement still is dry.

Wednesday 31 March: At the office, a post-it by my mailbox: Odd question of the day: 'Do you have a spiral staircase in your church?' Someone called yesterday asking this and then hung up after getting the answer, 'no.'

Off to the 5.30 HE. Tonight is when we turn the corner to go deep into the Triduum and the mysteries of the passion.

Thursday 1 April: It is gorgeous out!!! This will be the first year in a long time that I will not be lighting the first fire of Easter in the snow.

Friday 2 April [0h22]: Time to quit... watch from 7.00-9.00 tomorrow morning.

[6.47] Off to keep watch until 9.00 and then take apart the altar of repose.

[9.33] Altar of repose, lovely forsythia and apple blossoms, six eight-day votives, four ten-hour votives (burned out), all has been taken down and now the chapel, too, is bare. Meanwhile, the sacrament with one last votive has taken up residence in my office where I can see it from my desk.

[13.51] Off to Good Friday at the assisted living place... a pared-down version thereof without communion. It is 81 out!!!!

[20.40] There is no more Jesus in the church. The votive has been blown out. It is night.

Saturday 3 April [8.34]: 'Something strange is happening — there is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and stillness. The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh....' from an ancient homily on the holy and great Sabbath to be read shortly in the empty chapel.

[13.07] At Trinity, Rutland, the Great Vigil of Easter at 7.30 PM - come for the lighting of the first fire of Easter, the Exsultet, candlight proclamation of the history of salvation followed by the first Eucharist (communion) of Easter. We are almost there!

[13.53] Off to do final set up prep for the Great Vigil of Easter. I think I might walk over to the church since it is so beautiful out.

[22.10] Home happily smelling of incense (which I left burning in the thurible by the high altar... on the marble steps not near anything flammable), still hearing in my ears the cow bells midst the other bells that everyone rang... happy for the vigil and happy that it is EASTER! Aleluia!

Sunday 4 April [13.07]: Christ is risen!!! And I am home after two services - the last ones for this year's Holy Week - and a lovely visit with Kathy Jensen and Alison.... Now it's time for a nap. How far into the New York Times will I get?! Just wish I had a hammock out.

Monday 5 April: Moving verrrrry slowly this morning. T'is the nature of Easter Monday.

Tuesday 6 April: Dégringolement total de l'esprit et de l'âme aujourd'hui.

Holy Week and Easter sermons

The whole lot of them is up over at Trinity's blog site. Happy reading.

Update on El Salavdor

Talked with the bishop last night... his driver is out of the hospital facing a two-month recovery. They operated on his arm this week.

No news as far as investigation... there probably won't be until after Holy Week and Easter.

This whole mess has put a real crunch in finances: they have to buy a new car, e.g.

Any of you feel like sending money to Cristosal, the link of the sidebar is still active.

Gracias and continue to hold all of them in your prayers.

More later.