Both Continuing Anglican and Episcopal Bishops met at St. Benedict's Abbey, Bartonville, Illinois, for three days of prayer, reconciliation and consultation from May 3 in an endeavour to find a way forward to unite all traditionalists in the United States.
In his opening address, Abbot Alberto Morales, referring to the lack of unity amongst traditionalists, said there had been no hidden agendas or secondary motives in calling the bishops together, neither had it been sponsored by any movement or organization outside the Abbey. The only reason, he said, "was to let the Holy Spirit guide us and show us the way that we should go. Let us open our hearts to God. May the Holy Spirit fill us with His light. That the light from on high will enlighten our path and that the Holy Spirit may guide us to His Truth, to unity, to peace among each other and that as we face the new millennium we may present to the world a portion of the Anglican Communion reconciled and united, which in turn, may be example to imitate for all good and faithful Anglicans and for the Church in general. May it be a preoccupying presence for those who as enemies of Christ wish to make the Church a pagan reign and the new Sodom and Gomorrah of the end of the century and the beginning of the new." Reports on proceedings will be published in our next issue.