Another demonstration at the Anglican church, this time in the midst of the Western Diocese retreat

Bob Sexton says none of the clergy would provide a comment but some did speak with people at Friday's gathering. 

Anglican clergy from 30 parishes in the Western Diocese gathered in Corner Brook on Friday for their annual retreat. They were met by a demonstration at St. John the Evangelist where upwards of 50 people attended on a chilly morning. This included members of the congregation and the former vestry, which resigned en masse because they could not get a meeting with the Bishop, John Organ. One former vestry member, Bob Sexton says none of the clergy would provide a comment but some did speak with people at the gathering. 

In mid-January Catherine Short was fired from her position as Dean and Rector of the Cathedral of St John the Evangelist and had her licence revoked by Organ. A few days later on January 19th, during Sunday worship, to the shock of Short’s congregation, the Bishop announced that she was being dismissed and that he had revoked her licence.

Glynda Seaborn has been attending the church for many decades and also wrote a letter to all the clergy before their arrival. In it, she stated “No details of the anger issues he alluded to were given to the vestry before he took this drastic move.” Seaborn says they were surprised to hear no retired clergy were invited to the retreat, which is a common occurrence.

Sexton says the next step is gather strength in numbers and they are forming a new group to continue pressure on the Bishop to resign. The Bishop has not returned calls for an interview and the Anglican Church of Canada has said this matter is not in their jurisdiction.