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July 29 2005 By virtueonline CONNECTICUT: Noose Tightens Around ECUSA & Revisionist Diocesan Bishop

"We would prefer to find some way other than this deepening battle, but we refuse to allow this recent aggression to go unchecked or unchallenged," the nine wrote in a letter to the bishop and the Standing Committee. (Last week Smith sent in a Diocesan SWAT team, confiscating the church, changing the locks on the church doors, firing the priest, breaking into his computer and installing a priest-in-charge without vestry consent.)

July 25 2005 By virtueonline CONNECTICUT: CT6 Protest Bishop Smith With Upside Down Episcopal Shields

"This is the appropriate action to take; all the parishioners at the other 'Connecticut Six' churches under siege by the bishop are doing likewise," said Ken Blackwell a layman at St. Paul's.

At the diocesan website there is a message "Episcopal Church Shields - Show Your Support." The message from Bishop Andrew D. Smith is also printed in the June-July issue of Good News, the diocesan newspaper.

July 24 2005 By virtueonline More Bishops Blast Actions of CT Bishop - Andrew Smith Faces Presentment Charges

Then he ripped Smith saying, "There seems to be solid historical grounds for declaring the office of Bishop of Connecticut vacant."

The Rt. Rev. John H. Rodgers, a bishop in the Anglican Mission in America and former Dean of Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry also wrote VirtueOnline saying that the changing of locks and a consequent lockout of the congregation and Fr. Hansen was "bizarre" asking "what in the world is the man thinking?"

July 22 2005 By virtueonline CONNECTICUT: Bishop Smith Rejects ABC's Panel of Reference

A spokesman for Bishop Smith told The Church of England Newspaper that he saw no mediating role in the battle for alternate Episcopal oversight (AEO) in the Diocese of Connecticut.

Karin Hamilton, a spokesman for the diocese, told the newspaper that Bishop Smith has made no "mention of the Panel of Reference" and does not envision a role for it in the present conflict as he wishes to resolve the present dispute "domestically".

July 21 2005 By virtueonline 7/13 - BLACK WEDNESDAY FOR THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH

The Anglo-Catholic bishop ripped into Smith saying, "Any canonist worthy of the name knows that you have deliberately misused Canon IV.10 in order to attack someone who upholds the Catholic Faith in a manner deliberately designed to deny him any hearing or trial. You grieve the heart of Our Blessed Lord. However, I fear your own actions demonstrate any inability to see what you have done wrong, or to bring you to the repentance your soul so desperately needs to save you from spiritual death.

July 19 2005 By virtueonline OF MITERS AND JACKBOOTS

Not content with deposing an honorable and godly priest, Smith continued to dig in his heels and told a hastily called congregational meeting yesterday that he wanted to build their trust, but when asked if he would remove the 24-hour guards around the church he said "no". When asked would he give the Vestry back the keys to the building he answered categorically "no".

July 18 2005 By virtueonline VIRGIN ISLANDS: Episcopal Diocese Gets New Bishop - Some Boycott Event

One Archbishop who did not attend was the Most Rev. Drexel Gomez, Archbishop of the Province of Nassau and the Bahamas.

VirtueOnline spoke by phone with the new bishop who said all the bishops of the region were invited but they all declined to come. "They would not show because they say they are in impaired communion with The Episcopal Church," said Gumbs.

July 15 2005 By virtueonline CONNECTICUT: Bishop Smith's Actions Reminiscent of Inquisition

Smith, as Torquemada, says that unless you convert to the gay cause you will lose your living. You will be tossed onto the street because you dared to defy me and you have refused to buy into my "inclusive" understanding of the Episcopal Church's determination that human sexual behavior, based on what a General Convention says, is now the law of the church.

July 14 2005 By virtueonline REV. MARK HANSEN:"I am in a state of shock;most of my parishioners are in shock"

VirtueOnline spoke first with Mr. Gonneville, Senior Warden about the events as they unfolded.

QUESTION: How did it start?

GONNEVILLE: I got a call from our secretary to say that Bishop Smith had arrived with an entourage. I immediately jumped into my car and was over at the parish within 10 minutes.

QUESTION: Then what happened?

July 13 2005 By virtueonline BREAKING NEWS...Ct. Bishop Swoops in and inhibits orthodox priest

"I do not accept this inhibition. I am still the Rector of St. John's parish and the Bishop has no right to proceed in accordance to proper canon law," said Fr. Hansen.

On hearing the news the other five parish priests known as the "Connecticut Six" gathered together in solidarity with Hansen and the Senior Warden.

The bishop promptly announced that a woman priest was now in charge of the parish.

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