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Sean Frankling

  • Sean Frankling’s experience includes newspaper reporting as well as writing for video and podcast media. He’s been chasing stories since his first co-op for Toronto’s Gleaner Community Press at age 19. He studied journalism at Carleton University and has written for the Toronto Star, WatchMojo and other outlets.

ARTICLES

Built in the 1970s to resemble an igloo, St. Jude’s Cathedral was severely damaged by arson in 2005 and rebuilt by 2012. Photo: Alexander Pryor

Arctic diocese could lose cathedral, bishop says

Sean Frankling November 4, 2025

Parishioners at St. Jude’s Cathedral in Iqaluit are in danger of losing their place of worship if the congregation and the diocese of the Arctic cannot find solutions to several pressing financial problems, says Bishop Alexander Pryor. An outstanding tax bill with the City of Iqaluit, rising insurance rates, high operational costs and the by-now familiar problem of congregational decline—each exacerbated by the unique challenges of life in Northern Canada—have combined to threaten the parish’s ownership of the cathedral.

“He stood his ground, he knew what was right, he kept his word, and he kept things honest,” says Hamel's wife, Margo Hearne. Photo: contributed

Recognizing ‘a warrior against evil’

Sean Frankling October 3, 2025

Those close to Hamel remember him as a tireless advocate for local, national and international causes. He fought for everything from Indigenous land rights to the abolishment of apartheid to natural conservation and the wildlife sanctuary he helped found near Masset, B.C. 

Outgoing Bishop of Montreal Mary Irwin-Gibson says she hopes the church will focus on growing disciples and responding to local needs. Photo: Erika Jacinto

Irwin-Gibson to retire as bishop of Montreal

Sean Frankling September 24, 2025

Bishop Mary Irwin-Gibson of the diocese of Montreal will retire Oct. 5 after a 44-year career in the church—including 10 years as diocesan bishop of Montreal.

A scene shot in Toronto's Little Trinity Church shows Firecracker (Misty Tucker Gray) praying in an over-the-top parody of a religious political ad in Season 4 of Amazon MGM Studios' The Boys. Photo: courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios

Stained glass on the silver screen

Sean Frankling September 17, 2025

When St. Clement’s Anglican Church in North Vancouver, B.C. got a request to use their building for filming a TV production going by the name “Megasword” in 2024, says the Rev. Helen Dunn, the church’s rector, it was the church’s first time being approached for a film rental.

Canon Alyson Barnett-Cowan (left), former president of the Canadian Council of Churches and Archdeacon Edward Simonton (right), vicar general and archdeacon of the diocese of Quebec have each been awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal for their respective work in ecumenical dialogue. Photos: Provided

Anglican ecumenists awarded King Charles III Coronation Medal

Sean Frankling September 8, 2025

Two prominent Anglican ecumenists were awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal June 20: Canon Alyson Barnett-Cowan, former president of the Canadian Council of Churches and Archdeacon Edward Simonton, vicar general and archdeacon of the diocese of Quebec. They were nominated by the Canadian Council of Churches and the Anglican Orthodox International Theological Dialogue, respectively. 

CLAY attendees link arms and sing together on the second day of the national gathering Aug. 22 in Saskatoon. Photo: Anglican Video

Young Lutherans, Anglicans ask for larger role

Sean Frankling September 5, 2025

“The church doesn’t always recognize or value young people. But we are the past, present, and future of this church,” begins a prayer drafted based on table discussions at this summer’s Canadian Lutheran Anglican Youth (CLAY) gathering, held Aug. 21 to 24 in Saskatoon. This year’s event, themed “Rooted and Rising,” brought together around 350 youth from around the country, making it larger than the previous gathering of around 300 in 2023, but with substantially fewer than pre-pandemic highs of around 850, says Sheilagh McGlynn, the Anglican Church of Canada’s animator for youth ministries.

"[A government lawyer] “[He] came up to Crawley and said, ‘You negotiate very, very well and that’s a skill we didn’t expect from clergy.’ And David said, ‘Well, the thing that I’ve had to do that none of you have had to is negotiate with the mother of a bride during a wedding.’" Photo: Provided by the ecclesiastical province of British Columbia and Yukon

David Crawley, one-time acting primate, remembered as early advocate for LGBTQ+ people, skilled negotiator

Sean Frankling August 25, 2025

“David drove change wherever he was. He never accepted the status quo,” says the Rev. Ken Gray, retired dean of St. Paul’s Cathedral, Kamloops, B.C. He’s describing Archbishop David Crawley, former bishop of Kootenay, metropolitan of the ecclesiastical province of British Columbia and Yukon and acting primate, who died Aug. 17 at age 88. Crawley is remembered by friends and colleagues as an intelligent debater, an articulate leader and a passionate and early advocate—even during his early career—for causes that were not always popular at the time. 

General Synod 2025 gathered bishops, clergy and laypeople from across the country in London, Ont. June 23-29 for a legislative meeting covering the national business of the Anglican Church of Canada. Photo: Brian Bukowski/The General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada

General Synod in brief

Sean Frankling July 15, 2025

Emancipation Sunday, canonical changes and charitable donation drives: a roundup of other news from the Anglican Church of Canada’s June General Synod.

The resolution’s mover, Canon Andrea Brennan, describes herself as a very proud, out, queer religious person. Photo: Brian Bukowski/The General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada

Queer Interfaith Coalition letter endorsed with amendment recognizing diversity of opinion on marriage canon

Sean Frankling July 7, 2025

General Synod passed a resolution June 29 endorsing an open letter to the Canadian government from the Queer Interfaith Coalition, an organization which supports LGBTQ+ acceptance across different religious groups, which says it is “reclaiming the religious voice from those who have sought to weaponize faith [against the 2SLGBTQIA+ community].” The motion passed after some debate surrounding a clause denouncing “the damaging heresy that some people are more deserving of equality than others.” This statement, said an amendment members added to the resolution, would not be understood to condemn Christians who do not believe Scripture permits same-sex marriages. 

The resolution argues that General Synod needs a strong policy against the use of NDAs, which is says are contrary to Christ's example to the church--but General Synod officers say the text as written would inadvertently put the church at unnecessary legal risk. Photo: Brian Bukowski/The General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada

Debate on use of NDAs to continue at CoGS

Sean Frankling July 3, 2025

General Synod has referred to the Council of General Synod (CoGS) a resolution which would significantly curtail the circumstances under which the leaders of General

Archbishop Shane Parker bears the primatial cross, primatial mitre and ceremonial garments. Photo: Brian Bukowski/the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada

Archbishop Shane Parker installed as primate

Sean Frankling July 3, 2025

Archbishop Shane Parker was installed as the 15th primate of the Anglican Church June 29 in a ceremony at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, Ont. Parker was elected June 26 when his name was added to the third ballot after members of General Synod called for additional candidates. 

General Synod passed the two motions after a 45-minute debate on numerous related topics. Photo: Brian Bukowski/ General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada

General Synod passes resolutions on climate treaty, greenhouse gases

Sean Frankling June 29, 2025

The first of these motions requests the primate of the Anglican Church of Canada to sign a letter from the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative, a nonprofit that aims to rally civil society around the world to phase out fossil fuels. The organization’s faith letter, which General Synod requested the primate sign, calls governments to end expansion of coal, oil and gas production; phase out existing production in a fair and equitable manner, providing for the differing needs of developing countries and more dependent regions; and “ensure a global just transition to 100% access to renewable energy globally,” enabling all communities, including the global South, to flourish. 

General Synod overwhelmingly votes for change

Sean Frankling June 28, 2025

General Synod has voted to pursue the six pathways for change recommended by a primatial commission over the next triennium—and to allocate up to $2 million of unrestricted funds from General Synod’s Consolidated Trust Fund to do that work. Both resolutions passed with overwhelming majorities.

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