Letter of Reconciliation

The new bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh has sent a letter to local parishes that have recently split off from the church in hopes of reconciliation.
Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh Spokesman Rich Creehan says about 40 congregations have not actively participated in the Episcopal Church since October 2008, regarding themselves as part of the Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh. Bishop Kenneth Price took his position last month, and he wants to make peace with the others.
The letter, which was sent out Wednesday, invites leaders and clergy of the Anglican Diocese to discuss their differences face-to-face.
“A lot of the turmoil and pain that this Diocese has gone through could be largely traced to some misunderstandings about the Episcopal Church,” Creehan says.
Ideally, Creehan says that Bishop Price would like to see the parishes reunite. However, inviting discussions are only the beginning to a much longer process.