From the Times-Picayune:
Several delegates said Thompson made a strong impression with his pastoral skills, a special need in the storm-battered diocese of 55 congregations and about 18,000 members.
"He's a very gentle, deeply spiritual man. A kind man," said the Rev. Henry Hudson, rector of Trinity Episcopal Church, who nominated Thompson. "His first instinct is always the pastoral word. He's a listener, and that's going to be very helpful."
....
At the Episcopal church's General Convention last summer, Thompson was with the majority of delegates who voted to declare partnered gay men and lesbians eligible for any ordained ministry. He also voted to direct church resources to preparing rites for same-sex unions.
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"I believe the church is moving in a direction that is more inclusive when it comes to the issue of sexuality, and I think the church needs to support people who are gay," Thompson said in an interview Saturday.
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What people in New Orleans should know about him, he said, "is that I'm passionate about ministry, about people having a relationship with Christ. And we all have a place at the table, no matter who we are."
That a candidate was elected who voted in favor of opening all ordained ministries to all the baptized and in favor preparing rites for same-sex unions is a milestone here in Louisiana. Those of you from other areas of the country may not fully realize the election as the break-through that it is.
It pains me to see that Morris Thompson is being trashed on the conservative websites, not only as a "revisionist", but as a "heretic", and that few on the progressive side even take note of the election of a fine man who will be an excellent addition to the House of Bishops.
And I know I said that I was moving on, but I changed my mind.
Just read the NOLA report on him (which was very good) and he sounds like a breath of fresh air. You all chose life by not going with the number-two person.
ReplyDeleteThe conservative websites have got to be in hyperdrive (i.e., frothing at the mouth) because TEC is opting for health, including your election. I do recognise the breakthrough that your bishop-elect voted for C056 and D025. I do, I do.
I may be a damn Connecticut Yankee by birth and be culturally dumb, but I may get there by death :)
BTW, I think you should claim the title 'raving revisionist' with pride. May we all rave on together.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, Caminante. I'm still working on my blog post for Crossleft, which is less news and more news commentary, so these take a bunch longer to write. Grandmère Mimi, you have awakened at least me, who writes a blog post every blue moon (last one was in Lent)... I say RAVE ON!!
ReplyDeleteMimi, keep on raving! We're depending on you. Your voice needs to be heard!
ReplyDeleteMimi, I am so happy that your diocese has a bishop elect that will minister to all.
ReplyDeleteCaminante, thanks. You're one of the smartest Connecticut Yankees that I know.
ReplyDeleteJanet, the type of writing that you're doing takes longer, but not THAT long. :-)
Sarah's words are on my sidebar. I display them with pride.
Whiteycat, I think I'm done for now, but you never know....
Two Auntees, thanks. I'm happy, too.
Oh, Grandmere! This is wonderful!!! This is groundbreaking and delightful!!! You must be in seventh heaven!
ReplyDeleteGod bless you and the Diocese of LA!
Sorry your election was overlooked, and I know how you feel. Sometimes I think it's just "Southern resentment," and I should "get over it!"
ReplyDeleteBut somehow, I can't convince myself it's not because it's the South, and since it's not El "A" or New Yawk or even "flyover country" (which is, after all the Midwest. Nobody flying between the big coastal cities imagines they are dipping down towards Louisiana or even close to the Texas Panhandle.), it doesn't register.
I still burn with anger at how quickly New Orleans was forgotten, and remains so. Not to mention the Mississippi coast.
A lifetime as a Southerner, and I still haven't "moved on."
Well, Margaret, that's what I call coming through for me. A little over the top? Nah. ;-)
ReplyDeleteHi Rmj, my companion in southern misery and neglect. You've actually touched on something that's been lurking in the back of my mind since the bishop's election and subsequent lack of attention that links to the neglect of New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast during and after the catastrophe of Katrina and the FEDERAL FLOOD and a general sense that the South doesn't count for much in the view of the rest of the country.
Is it simple southern resentment, that we need to get over, or are we picking up on a reality? I don't know.
Is it simple southern resentment, that we need to get over, or are we picking up on a reality? I don't know.
ReplyDeleteBoth and a little bit of neither, as I was taught as a young lad to say....
So long as there are realities on the ground, I do not think we need to get over them or move on. Say what needs saying, dear (as if you need this encouragement but we all need cheering squads now and again).
ReplyDeleteI am so pleased with the election in Louisiana.
Whenever health is chosen, those who cherish their unhealth are distressed. Yawn.
Rmj, since we're not likely to settle the question tonight your little lesson is as good a place to leave it as any.
ReplyDeleteCher Paul, I could not believe the viciousness at that place. I should never have gone there. That Sarah takes no prisoners. I laughed at her description of me, but I was shocked to read her references to Morris Thompson as not only a revisionist, but a heretic.
Mimi,
ReplyDeleteAs soon as you first posted the election results, I went to the pdf document you linked and found wonderful answers Morris Thompson gave to some of the questions posed -- which I posted on FB and went on to email to a parish prayer group I've recently been asked to join. My email correspondents were mightily impressed.
Some of my favorite parts were:
"In all of my spiritual disciplines I measure my learning by one question, do I love more? If my spiritual practice becomes a goal in itself, that is, if checking prayer off my daily list of “to do’s” is a goal, then I’m not loving more, just practicing a discipline. God calls us into relationships of joy, not duty. When I was growing up my maternal grandfather’s love for me was so tangible that I could feel his desire for me to be around him. He looked forward to my arrival and enjoyed my going to work or church with him, tagging along as if his life wasn’t complete without me. This degree of affection is how I understand God’s desire to know the world and me. I continue to discover this love through my life of prayer, silence, and the love of others." from
http://s3.amazonaws.com/dfc_attachments/public/documents/533/Thompson.pdf>
and
"In William C. Martin’s book The Art of Pastoring he writes, “The congregation does not need great visions or dreams. Of much more value is the pastor who calls attention to the gentle breeze caressing the flowers by the front door; who calms the troubled waters of grief and fear; who speaks a word that heals. You are not called to bring inspiration to people. Rather loosen the tightness in their chest that restricts their breathing, and their lungs will gratefully expand of their own accord and they will inspire themselves.”
So much is already going on in the Diocese of Louisiana and yet there seems to be a need to do more as if there is some kind of magic program. Read scripture, learn how to pray and pay attention to the hurts and sorrows of our neighbor and we will be amazed at the stirring of the Holy Spirit.""
What an extraordinary pastor and biped to be called to be bishop of your diocese. Thanks so much for making sure we all paid attention.
[And as an aside, while there may be a tendency among Northerners to ignore the South, I suspect that in this case it was much more the MSM's tendency to ignore any place that doesn't fit the marketing context of the hip and upscale - see the writings of Thomas Frank on both the media and how "middle America" has been lost and alienated. Events in central and western NY don't get much attention either unless someone like Sarah Palin shows up or there is some other occasion to show us all up as yahoos or sideshow freaks. Anywhere "uncool" tends to be overlooked, in the church and elsewhere. Fact of life. Although what on earth could be "cooler" than New Orleans???? Guess it's beyond cool, a place unlike any other. :) ]
Morris Thompson sounds like a wonderful choice for bishop. Yes, the L.A. hooplah overshadowed your election--more's the pity. However, thank God our journeys are more like marathons and not sprints. In Louisiana's spiritual marathon, it sounds like Thompson will run the race with patience and good leadership. Thousands of blessings to you all.
ReplyDeleteSo do I understand you are a revisionist heretic, Grandmere? (Sorry I'm not keeping up with all the details of Anglican schism these days).
ReplyDeleteI like to think I had something to do with that.
Funny how "revisionism" is taken as a venal sin, when all it means is that what you think you know, is no longer held to be true. Seems a little child came into the world who taught many of the same things...but there I go again.
I like to think "revision" means either "improvement," or, perhaps better, seeing things in a new and better way. Makes me a heretic, I suppose.
Klady, you should have seen and heard him face to face. He won me over completely - and I was leaning toward another candidate who looked good on paper, but whom I found somewhat wanting in his talk and Q&A period.
ReplyDeleteAnd you make a very good point about upstate and western NY state. You'd think the entire state consisted of NYC. When we went to the Adirondacks, GP and I were shocked at the rural character of the landscape and the widely-dispersed population.
However, thank God our journeys are more like marathons and not sprints.
Preacher1, thank you. An excellent reminder.
I was overjoyed because my man won the election and very relieved that we were spared the leadership of Bp. Smith who appears to have one foot in and one foot out of The Episcopal Church.
Rmj, I'm sure I fit the folks at SF's definition of a heretic, along with being a raving revisionist. They are the guardians of "the faith handed down" but sometimes seem to miss the early lessons in faith that we call the Gospel. I can't make out during which period in church history they believe the followers of the Christian way had a grasp on the perfect faith that was to be handed down whole and intact.
Read the comments on SF about this election. There are some from a former priest and a present priest of the diocese which are extremely bitter.
ReplyDeleteOrmonde, I read the comments at SF. I certainly campaigned against Bp. Smith, but I did not "smear" him, because I was careful to use his own words to make my case, just as I used his own words to ask my question at the Q&A session. If there was a "smear" campaign going on, I was not aware of it, much less a part of it.
ReplyDeleteOur bishop-elect will not have an easy time of it. He will need our prayers and support.
It is my belief that one should never visit SF without wearing a HAZMAT suit. And Mimi, Sarah's greatest delight is calling someone a heretic. Her endorsements of others as heretics assure me that they must be our kind of folks.
ReplyDeleteI am sure that your good and gentle soon-to-be bishop will be able to handle it.
Susan, a heretic label from Sarah is a badge of honor.
ReplyDeleteFrom the way our bishop-elect handled the hard questions, I saw that he is no pushover. He'll be fine, with God's help.
Mimi, I am reminded of the time that Fred Phelps' gang protested at a choir concert in which I participated. If he meant to insult me, he quite failed. Rather, I felt completely validated as a musician and a Christian.
ReplyDeleteAnnski, I felt the same when a crew from Phelps' church picketed our little church. I may be tarred and feathered for saying this, but rather than feel frightened by them, I pitied them. Their demonstrations are ugly, to be sure, but I could not help but feel sorry for them because their whole lives are fueled by hate. What a way to live! And they had children with them at their little show. What a nightmare to grow up in such an atmosphere.
ReplyDeleteI was at the electing convention and I was surprised how civil and smooth the proceedings were. There were a few RUDE and unhappy people, but complainers exist everwhere. We were all prepared to hunker down for a long day, but it was pretty clear that Thompson had the most support very early on. Ritter and Smith split the conservative vote and Ritter's supporters refused to budge. I thought it was rather tacky that Ritter attended the electing convention (and voted). It was his right but I found his standing in the aisle during balloting to be a rather obvious intimidation tactic.
ReplyDeleteIt will be intersting to see if Thompson returns full operational control of the Diocese to New Orleans or if he continues to split the diocesan staff between the two cities.
Ryan, welcome and thanks for the report from the floor of the electing convention.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was rather tacky that Ritter attended the electing convention (and voted). It was his right but I found his standing in the aisle during balloting to be a rather obvious intimidation tactic.
Tacky, indeed.
Ritter may have been nervous at the Q&A session, but he seemed to lack warmth. And then the contradiction between his inability to live as a celibate paired with his willingness to impose celibacy on gay folks seemed obvious to me, but not to all.
The delegation from St. John changed their votes from Ritter to Thompson on the 3rd ballot. They did not want to see Smith elected.
Yes, I'm curious to see what the bishop-elect does about the split in diocesan staff between New Orleans and Baton Rouge.
I think everyone realized that if they didn't switch to Thompson on the 3rd or 4th ballot, the conservative element would abandon Ritter in favor of Smith. Listening to the conversations during lunch was very enlightening in that a lot of the conservative delegates were shocked at how the first two ballots went. Most though were very gracious in defeat. There were some who shouted "nay" when the affirmation vote was called for, and I'm sure a few refused to sign the affirmation documents...but whatever.
ReplyDeleteI also find it amusing that the B.R. group is accusing the "liberal" element from Baton Rouge of jumping ship to elect Thompson over Ritter. In my opinion, an outsider is what this diocese needs right now. There is a distinguishable divide in the diocese that needs to be bridged and Jenkins did very little to heal it.
In my opinion, an outsider is what this diocese needs right now.
ReplyDeleteAmen to that, Ryan. We need a person from outside to take a more objective look at where we are and, I hope, lead us to a better place.
In truth, I was quite surprised that Thompson took the lead from the beginning, and I was surprised that Ritter didn't do better.