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PENNSYLVANIA: Anglo-Catholic Layman Writes Queen Elizabeth

ANGLO-CATHOLIC LAYMAN WRITES THE QUEEN

By David W. Virtue

PHILADELPHIA, PA (11/10/2004)--A concerned Anglo-Catholic layman who attends the Church of the Good Shepherd in Rosemont, Pennsylvania has written a letter to Queen Elizabeth II urging her majesty to intervene on behalf of a "beleaguered American Episcopal Church" that is fraught with heresy and "is doing violence to our faith."

Mr. Joseph Ames Jr. wrote to the Queen on October 19, urging her majesty to act on behalf of all faithful Episcopalians. "Surely you are aware that the heresies of the American Church have caused increasing distress to faithful Anglicans in America. More troubling even than the unrepentant sinfulness of the bishop of New Hampshire, ECUSA seems to have rejected tradition and the supremacy of Holy Scripture, while falsely claiming to uphold both. Indeed, our presiding bishop has already mocked the Windsor Report in his published statement.

"As Defender of the Faith, and thereby of the Anglican Communion, I ask you to intervene on behalf of us beleaguered Americans. We can no longer abide an 'episcopagan' church that insults and does violence to our faith. Absent your intervention, our options are increasingly limited: acquiesce to paganism or leave to a faithful branch of Christianity."

In a cry for intervention he wrote: "Your Majesty, please help us, your brothers in Christ, in this our time of need. Soon we will risk our very souls to be associated with the Episcopal Church."

Ames described himself as a faithful Episcopalian, born, baptized and confirmed into the church "from a long line of Americans proud of their English heritage."

On November 4, Mr. Ames received a reply from the palace:

Dear Mr. Ames Jr.,

The Queen has asked me to thank you for your letter of 19th October expressing your concern for the Protestant Episcopal Church in America.

Her Majesty has noted the content of your letter, but I should explain that The Queen, as Supreme Governor, would not intervene in the day-to-day running of the Church of England. I am therefore directed to forward your letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury so that he may be aware of your approach to Her Majesty.

Yours sincerely,

Mrs. Sonia Bonici
Senior Correspondence Officer

In a note to VirtueOnline Ames noted, "Of course I realize the Queen does not and cannot interfere with the details for the Church of England, let alone the Anglican Communion. However, 'it's still her name on the letterhead' and it is important she knows how many of us American Anglicans feel, being mistreated as we are."

Ames said he wrote the letter to go on record at the highest level of the Anglican Communion--the Queen of England. "Are we to imitate Peter's betrayal or learn from it instead? I hope other Episcopalians will see it as an example of how even the lowliest Episcopalian parishioner can defend his faith as we promised to do at our christening.

"Moreover, letter writing is a potent form of democracy and the essence of 'free speech'. If only for a few seconds, you have someone's attention. I take as my model the letters of St. Paul," he said.

Ames said many young Christian men were fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq and some are dying for the freedoms we take for granted. "Maintaining our silence, or letting a few courageous priests do our spiritual fighting for us is, frankly, unAmerican."

END

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