Partnership renewed with Tanzanian diocese

The diocese of Montreal has renewed a partnership agreement with the diocese of Masasi in Tanzania for a second five-year period. The future of a similar agreement with the Anglican Parishes of the Central Interior in British Columbia will be reviewed when it expires next year.

Both Bishop Patrick Mwachiko of Masasi and Bishop Barbara Andrews, who oversees the APCI parishes, expressed gratitude for the way the agreements have worked so far at the synod of the Montreal diocese October 18-20.

Bishop Barry Clarke of Montreal, assisted by Bishop Mwachiko, ordained Geofrey Monjesa, development officer of the Masasi diocese, as deacon at a service at St. Mark’s Church in Dorval October 12.

At the synod, Bishops Mwachiko and Andrews joined delegates from across the Montreal diocese itself in paying homage to the efforts of Bishop Barry Clarke in welcoming the visitors and leading the synod despite the death of his wife, Leslie James, just before Thanksgiving after a long battle with multiple sclerosis and, recently, cancer.

Bishop Clarke said he thanks God for the “love and prayer that surrounded Leslie and me in the last number of weeks and last number of years. They carried me through the most difficult moments.”

The primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, Archbishop Fred Hiltz, paid homage to the faith of both Mrs. James and her husband when he preached at her funeral in Christ Church Cathedral October 12.

Harvey Shepherd is the editor of the Montreal Anglican, the newspaper of the diocese of Montreal.