[Anglican Communion News Service] The Anglican Church of the Southern Cone of America’s Synod has proposed that its province becomes two.

According to a statement issued on March 6, the two provinces would be one comprising Peru, Bolivia and two dioceses in Chile (one to be formed) and another comprising Argentina, Northern Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.

The proposal comes after the Synod rejected both a request for permission for the Diocese of Uruguay to ordain woman as presbyters and also for the diocese to seek alternative provincial oversight.

Referring to the proposed creation of two provinces the statement said, “This structural change would be developed and presented at regional, provincial, Synodical and Communion levels during the next two years. A calendar was developed and the next meeting of the Provincial Executive will take place in Montevideo, Uruguay in May 2012.”

The complete statement follows.

Southern Cone Synod postpones Uruguay petition again (+espanol)

At the extraordinary Synod of the Southern Cone held in Asunción, Paraguay, in November, permission to ordain woman as presbyters in Uruguay was rejected in all orders after Uruguay shared their urgent need. (Ordination of women to the diaconate is the provincial norm.) This fully representative meeting was called to determine how to pastorally accompany the diocese of Uruguay who appealed to the Province because of the failure of the regular Synod to so approve. A second motion was entertained to allow Uruguay to seek other oversight and surprisingly, the extraordinary Synod also voted against that action.

However, upon further discussion that stretched into a second day, it was proposed to multiply the Province into two provinces. This combined a previous desire for growth with a way forward to meet the need in Uruguay. (The diocese of Chile had previously been granted permission to establish other dioceses as their situation allows.) An action plan was designed with additional regional meetings to that purpose. This structural change would be developed and presented at regional, provincial, Synodical and Communion levels during the next two years. A calendar was developed and the next meeting of the Provincial Executive will take place in Montevideo, Uruguay in May 2012.

In response to these votes, the diocese of Uruguay still has the option to seek other jurisdiction. But the probable future of the Southern Cone briefly envisioned was of two provinces: one consisting of Peru, Bolivia and two dioceses in Chile (one to be formed) and another consisting of Argentina, Northern Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.

Inquiries: +Frank Lyons, Bolivia bpfrank@sams-usa.org.

Sinodo del Cono Sur posterga la peticion de Uruguay nuevamente (s/acento)

En el Sinodo extraordinario del Cono Sur en Asuncion, Paraguay, llevado a cabo en noviembre, la autorizacion de la ordenacion de mujeres al presbiterado en Uruguay, descrita como su necesidad primordial, fue denegada en las tres camaras. (La ordenacion de mujeres al diaconado es la norma provincial). Este encuentro, representado con el numero mayor de delegados, fue convocado para determinar como orientar pastoralmente a la diocesis de Uruguay, quien apelo a la Provincia despues de que el Sinodo ordinario de la misma no aprobo dicho asunto. Una segunda mocion fue dirigida a permitir que Uruguay buscase otro tipo de supervision y, con sorpresa, el Sinodo tambien voto en contra de aquella accion.

Sin embargo, dentro del debate que se extendio hasta el segundo dia, se propuso multiplicar a la Provincia en dos. Esta propuesta respondio a un anterior deseo de crecimiento y que a la vez podria facilitar el acogido al pedido de Uruguay. (La diócesis de Chile ya contaba con el permiso de establecer otras diocesis de acuerdo con sus posibilidades.) Ademas, se diseno un plan de accion el cual incluiria reuniones regionales adicionales para tratar dicho proposito. Este cambio estructural seria desarrollado y presentado en los diferentes niveles: regional, provincial, sinodal y Comunion durante los proximos dos anos. Un calendario fue programado y la proxima reunion del Ejecutivo de la Provincia tomara lugar en mayo del 2012 en Montevideo, Uruguay.

En respuesta a estos votos, la diocesis de Uruguay sigue teniendo la opcion de buscar otra jurisdiccion. Al otro lado, el posible futuro del Cono Sur inicialmente previsto seria el de dos provincias: una que agrupe las diocesis del Peru, de Bolivia y de dos diocesis de Chile (una por ser formada) y otra que agrupe a Argentina, el Norte de Argentina, Paraguay y Uruguay.

Informacion: +Frank Lyons, Bolivia bpfrank@sams-usa.org.