March 8, 2010

Bishops-elect in the dioceses of Los Angeles, Louisiana and Upper South Carolina have received the required consent of the wider church for their ordinations and consecrations.

Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori's office March 8 announced successful consent processes for the Rev. Canon Diane Jardine Bruce of Los Angeles, the Very Rev. Morris K. Thompson of Louisiana and the Rev. W. Andrew Waldo of Upper South Carolina.

Bruce was elected bishop suffragan on Dec. 4. Her ordination and consecration is planned for May 15.

Thompson was elected 11th bishop of the Diocese of Louisiana on Dec. 5 and his ordination and consecration is set for May 7.

Waldo was elected eighth bishop of the Diocese of Upper South Carolina Dec. 12, 2009. His ordination and consecration is slated for May 22.

Jefferts Schori will be the chief consecrator in each instance, according to news releases due to be posted at http://www.episcopalchurch.org/newsline.htm.

Under the canons of the Episcopal Church (III.11.4), a majority of bishops exercising jurisdiction and diocesan standing committees must consent to a bishop-elect's ordination as bishop within 120 days of receiving notice of the election.

The consent process for the Rev. Canon Mary Glasspool, who was elected the day after Bruce as a second bishop suffragan in Los Angeles, has not yet been completed. The diocese said March 3 that Glasspool had received 55 of the 56 standing committee consents needed. That information is unofficial, pending verification by the presiding bishop's office. There is no official information about the number of bishops with jurisdiction who have consented to Glasspool's ordination and consecration, which is also scheduled for May 15. The 120-day process for Glasspool lasts until May 8 and the diocese has been updating the process each Wednesday on its website http://episcopalnews.ladiocese.net/.

As outlined under Canon III.11.4 (a) for every bishop election, the presiding bishop confirms the receipt of consents from a majority of bishops with jurisdiction, and reviews the evidence of consents from diocesan standing committees sent to her by the standing committee of the electing diocese.

In Canon III.11.4 (b), standing committees, in consenting to ordination and consecration, attest they are "fully sensible of how important it is that the Sacred Order and Office of a Bishop should not be unworthily conferred, and firmly persuaded that it is our duty to bear testimony on this solemn occasion without partiality, do, in the presence of Almighty God, testify that we know of no impediment on account of which the Reverend A.B. ought not to be ordained to that Holy Office. We do, moreover, jointly and severally declare that we believe the Reverend A.B. to have been duly and lawfully elected and to be of such sufficiency in learning, of such soundness in the Faith, and of such godly character as to be able to exercise the Office of a Bishop to the honor of God and the edifying of the Church, and to be a wholesome example to the flock of Christ."

The canons do not specify the wording that bishops must use to give their consent, other than to say in Canon III.11.4 (a) that the presiding bishop requests of each bishop with jurisdiction "a statement of consent or withholding of consent."

The consent process begins after post-election procedural matters, including physical and psychological examinations, have been completed and formal notices are sent by the presiding bishop's office to bishops with jurisdiction, with separate notices from the electing diocese to the standing committees of each of the dioceses in the Episcopal Church.

Episcopal News Service