> Dean Scott: Thanks for a good set of postings. One of the strongest
arguments against the death penalty is the reality that people do change
and that change is often positive. It is instructive that alone of '1st
world' countries the 38 States and the Federal givernment continue this
barbaric, unChristian and unjust institution. Innocent people are killed
and those who have truly made amendment lose hope. Capital punishment is
expensive, degrading and sends signals to the larger community that we
can do without.                                                         
                        It is instructive that jurisdictions that have
forgone 'official vengeance' have lower crime rates, lower murder rates
and a higher quality of life generally than those jurisdictions that
take the opposite course. As Catholics this should be instructive to us.
Recently, the Ligourian publication US CATHOLIC had an excellent article
on this subject and specific actions on what parishes canand should do
in this regard. Those suggestions can be applied with profit to every
one of our congregations.                                               
                             Now as the 'The Druids': I find it amusing
that ECUSAites have 'repented' for their errors. It seems to me akin to
some hired hitman changing his shirt before he machine guns the latest
target! With the sins of ECUSA (priestesses etc) such 'amendment of
life' seems almost irrelevant.                                          
                                    There are many people that I work
with and know as friends in the RenFaire world that are 'into' Druidism
and 'Paganism' and 'witchcraft'-or what they perceive these things to
be. Most of them are people who have been badly hurt by the Church (
interestinglyalmost none of them are Protestants by background)and have
used these modalities to 'fill the gap'. Most through patient loving
catechesis can come to new appreciation of realities.                   
                                                           Many have a
deep , authentic respect for stewardship of the Earth, ecological issues
and many are kind, in a very Christian way; beyond measure to their
fellow Rennies (we are a peculiar group)and others too. We can build on
these things. Blessings. GDVW+                                          
                                                                        
                                                                        
                                           Bill Melnyk 'I was wrong. I
repent of and recant without qualification'
>
> There is no greater cause for rejoicing today than in the public
> repentance of Episcopal priest William Melnyk and the reported repentance
> of his wife, fellow Episcopal priest Glyn Lorraine Ruppe-Melnyk, of their
> involvement with Druidism.
> Melnyk posted his letter to his bishop, Pennsylvania's Charles Bennison,
> on several conservative Anglican sites, as well as on a Druidism site.
>
> The full text is as follows:
> Recently it has been brought to light by several agencies and individuals
> that I have been involved in work with Druid organizations in the United
> States and England, exploring the relationships between Christian and
> pre-Christian Druid spirituality and theology. These individuals and
> agencies have presented you with pages of documentation of my activities
> from the internet. You and I have discussed this material, and you have
> pointed out to me that it is the opinion of the church that my
> involvement, writings, and activities go beyond the bounds expected of a
> Christian and a Christian priest.
> I affirm to you with all my heart it was never my intention to engage in
> such error, but only to help others who had lost connection to the Church
> to find a way to reconnect. I also thought that there was much in our
> early British heritage that could help those of us in the Church to
> broaden our understanding of Anglican tradition.
> I was wrong. I repent of and recant without qualification anything and
> everything I may have said or done which is found to be in conflict with
> the Baptismal Covenant, and the historical Creeds of the Church. With God
> as my witness, I reaffirm my belief in the historical creeds of the
> Church, and the Baptismal Covenant, and reaffirm to you my faith, as
> expressed in that covenant. I am resigning my membership in the Order of
> Bards, Ovates, and Druids, as a sign of my repentence.
> I have been a follower of Jesus Christ since my Baptism in 1947, and a
> faithful deacon and priest of the Church, with the exception of the error
> admitted above, since 1981. It is my desire to continue as such, and I ask
> for the mercy of the Church, and of our Lord Jesus Christ.
> To conservative Anglican sites, he appended this message:
> I now take pains to publicly affirm this statement, and to thank the
> contributors to the various Anglican weblogs for bringing this to my
> attention and helping me to see the truth.
> He also said, "My wife has sent a similar letter."
> On the Druid message board, he wrote this:
> I hereby resign from the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids. I repent of,
> and recant, all posts on this Board, except in the many places where I
> have affirmed my faith in Jesus Christ. I ask that my membership in this
> board be terminated, and that all my submissions be deleted. May God bless
> you all, and keep you in health and peace.
>
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