wfn.org | Convocation in Europe has audience with Pope, consecrates first elected bishop

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2001-337

Convocation in Europe has audience with Pope, consecrates first elected bishop

by Nell Toensmann

     On November 17, participants meeting in Rome for the Convention of the 
Convocation of American Churches in Europe were granted an audience with Pope 
John Paul II, joining participants in the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of 
Christian Unity, which had just concluded a week-long plenary session.

     During his salutation to the Pope, Presiding Bishop Frank T. Griswold 
brought greetings from the Episcopal Church and the Convocation and informed the 
Pope of the consecration of Pierre Welti Whalon as the next Bishop in Charge of 
the Episcopal churches in Europe, to take place the next day.

     The Pope's communiqui was first addressed to the Pontifical Council, after 
which he addressed the Convocation with a greeting. He then personally greeted 
the bishops and other church leaders present in both of the delegations. 

     Whalon addressed the Pope with a traditional Christian greeting in Polish, 
to which the Pope responded in Polish. George Packard, suffragan bishop for the 
Armed Services, Healthcare and Prison Ministries, presented the Pope with a New 
York Fire Department pin at the request of the firefighters. Jeffery Rowthorn, 
Bishop in Charge of the Episcopal churches in Europe until the end of December, 
then offered a gift on behalf of the Convocation --a bronze designed by the 
sculptor, Peter Rockwell, a member of St. Paul's Within the Walls, Rome, the host 
church for the Convention.

Prayer and a papal blessing

     The nine young people present, with ages ranging from almost four to 17bb, 
came forward and were each personally greeted by John Paul II, who was visibly 
delighted with their presence, offering an occasional hug. Nina Meigs of Emmanuel 
Church in Geneva read a prayer, written especially for this occasion:

     "Holy Abba,

     In a world filled with chaos and hatred,

     we beg you to send peace and unity.

     Pour out your Holy Spirit upon us,

     so that all who are marked as Christ's own

     may overcome the scandal of division.

     Open the eyes of every woman and man,

     that we may see that we are all children of the one Father,

     alive solely to bring glory to his holy name. 

     Grant those beginning their walk of Faith 

     strength to persevere and wisdom to realize

     that nothing surpasses chasing after you.

     Help us all to remember that there is

     no strength except the strength of love,

     no power except the power of the humble,

     and no relief except in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

     The Pope then joined the joint delegation for photographs before he 
conferred his blessing on the approximately 220 participants in the audience.

First European consecration

     The day after the audience with the Pope, Whalon was consecrated in Rome to 
serve as the first-ever elected Bishop in Charge for the Convocation of American 
Churches in Europe. Prior to Whalon's election, the bishop had been appointed by 
the presiding bishop, and from 1974 until 1994, this position was held by a part-
time retired bishop. 

     Whalon, who is the 973rd bishop of the Episcopal Church, assumes his duties 
January 1, 2002, succeeding Bishop Jeffery Rowthorn, who has held the full-time 
position since January 1994. At the time of the election, Whalon, who has both 
French and American citizenship, was serving as rector of St. Andrews Church and 
School in Fort Pierce, Florida. 

     Before the overflowing multinational and multicultural congregation 
assembled at St. Paul's Within the Walls, Whalon was presented for consecration 
by members of the Convocation who represented the five European countries in 
which the Episcopal churches are located (Belgium, France, German, Italy and 
Switzerland), by a representative of the other-language ministry that is 
expanding in Europe, and joined by the president of the Board of Foreign 
Parishes.

     In addition to Griswold, who presided as chief consecrator, six bishops--
representing not only five different countries, but five different churches 
either within the Anglican Communion or in communion with the Anglican Church--
were invited to participate as co-consecrators. 

     Lessons were offered in English and Spanish, the Gospel was read in English, 
French and Italian, and the music was offered by both a special Convocation Choir 
representing the churches and mission congregations within the Convocation, the 
singer Deborah Bly, and musicians from the Latin American congregation in Rome.

Transcending boundaries

     In his consecration sermon, Griswold spoke of how the ordination of a bishop 
of the Episcopal Church of the United States taking place in Europe transcends 
national and ecclesiastical boundaries and cultures and reminds us that we live 
not to ourselves alone, but within binding relationships. He also spoke of the 
importance of moving beyond a world of self interest to establishing new 
relationships, which has been very much in evidence since the events of September 
11.

     The service continued with the new bishop celebrating the Eucharist and a 
special sung Lord's Prayer in Spanish. At the conclusion of the service, the 
Canterbury Cross, which began its pilgrimage in Canterbury in August 1997 and 
visited all of the Convocation churches and mission congregations during the 
celebration of the 1400th anniversary of St. Augustine's journey to England, was 
then presented to representatives from Emmanuel Church, Geneva, host to the 2002 
Convocation convention. Whalon then pronounced the blessing in the six languages 
of the convocation: Italian, Chinese, German, Spanish, French and English.

     In addition to the consecrating bishops, other participating bishops 
included Edward L. Lee, Jr., Diocese of Western Michigan; J. Michael Garrison, 
Diocese of Western New York; William J. Skilton, suffragan of the Diocese of 
South Carolina, representing the Standing Commission on World Mission; 
Christopher Epting, deputy for ecumenical relations; George Packard, suffragan of 
the Armed Forces, Health Care and Prison Ministries; as well as Richard Garrard, 
the new director of the Anglican Centre in Rome and representative of the 
Archbishop of Canterbury to the Holy See, installed just two days before at All 
Saints' Church in Rome. 

     Clergy participating in the service included the Rev. George Werner, 
president of the House of Deputies; the Rev. Carlson Gerdau, canon to the 
presiding bishop, and the Rev. John Peterson, Secretary General of the Anglican
Consultative Council An additional 39 priests and deacons from the Episcopal
Church, resident in Europe with the Convocation or as military chaplains, in
addition to visitors from the United States, the Church of England, and Old
Catholic Church were vested and joined the lengthy procession into the church.

     The gifts to the new bishop included a crosier presented by the Convocation
of American Churches, designed and created by the Italian artist David Maria
Massei, who specializes in custom woodwork. It was carved from iroko, a hard,
resistant African wood, with nine inlaid crosses shaped from wood common to or
characteristic of the region of each of the parishes of the Convocation: olive
from Florence, grape vine from Wiesbaden, cherry from Frankfurt, fir from Paris,
beech from Waterloo, Swiss Alpine pine from Geneva, chestnut from Rome, horse
chestnut from Munich, and beech from Clermont-Ferrand.

--Nell Toensmann is press officer of the Convocation of American Churches in
Europe.