Source: CBC News, Canadian Press, and National Post
A former Anglican bishop who has led a campaign against ordaining gays and lesbians says he feels terrible that his colleagues in eastern Newfoundland are being asked to declare their allegiance to the church.

Donald Harvey, the former bishop for eastern Newfoundland, is affiliated with a conservative breakaway group, the Anglican Network in Canada.

His successor, Cyrus Pitman, sent a letter to clergy members in December instructing them, in effect, to declare their allegiances to the Anglican Church or to the group affiliated with Harvey. In the latter case, Pitman said clergy should then "do the honourable thing, and resign."

"Because of the mess I seem to have stirred up, it is unfortunate that trouble with me should extend to them in that particular way," Harvey told CBC News on Thursday.

In the interview, Harvey said Pitman's letter puts other clergy in a difficult spot.

"The tone of it is devastating," he said, "because it is indicating that the clergy need to … have their licences renewed, which they will do by renewing their vows."

Pitman is not doing interviews about his letter, but issued a statement late Thursday saying that in the "spirit of renewal" all clergy resident in the diocese would receive a licence to continue working in the diocese.

Bishop Pitman's letter makes specific mention of Bishop Harvey's decision to leave the Canadian Church.

"His decision to renounce his licence rather than to seek a transfer to another province has implications for this Diocese of Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador, for the Anglican Church of Canada, and possibly for the wider Anglican Communion."

The head of the Anglican Church of Canada, Archbishop Fred Hiltz, issued a letter earlier this week emphasizing the church has not yet changed its doctrine on marriage, but added there is federal legislation that allows for same-sex marriages.

Canada's National Post calls the latest letter from Pitman, "a pre-emptive attack on any priests who may be thinking of joining a breakaway faction that opposes same-sex blessings."

But a senior official in the Newfoundland and Labrador church indicated that support for Harvey's views is small.

"It needs to be noted that there is not a single priest that has left our church. Not a single congregation, not a single parish," said Geoff Peddle, executive archdeacon of the Anglican Church in eastern Newfoundland.

"There has been not a single departure from our community," Peddle said Friday.

Peddle said Harvey's decision to break with the church has had no immediate effect on other clergy.

Harvey agreed on Thursday that no priest in the diocese has asked to join his breakaway group, but continued to lash out at his successor.

"It looks like he's trapped and lashing out in all directions," Bishop Harvey said. "He's certainly trying to exert supreme control."

According to National Post, Bishop Harvey said the new church, which for now is being called the Anglican Network of Canada, will soon do a cross-country tour of parishes -- but they have not been invited by any Newfoundland parish.

Full article: Breakaway ex-bishop knocks Anglican loyalty letter
Anglican bishop asks priests allied with conservative predecessor ... | The Canadian Press
Bishop to issue new licences to diocese clergy | National Post