Episcopal Press and News
ETS-SW Conference Aids Guatemala Clergy
Episcopal News Service. August 10, 1978 [78222]
AUSTIN, Tex. -- A Continuing Education for Clergy Conference was held June 26-July 8 in Guatemala City, Guatemala, under the direction of the Very Rev. Gordon T. Charlton, Jr., Dean of the Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest here.
Funded by the Council of the Ninth Province (Episcopal), the Conference was given in the Spanish language and attended by 10 Guatemalan and two Honduran Episcopal clergy. It was planned in response to a request from the Rt. Rev. Anselmo Carral, Diocese of Guatemala.
Dean Charlton was assisted by the Rev. Hilmer Krause, ETSS Visiting Professor of Hispanic Ministry, and the Rev. Louis Weil, Professor of Liturgics, Nashotah House.
Courses taught were liturgies, expository preaching, and pastoral care.
Dean Charlton reports that, with the assistance of a number of generous Episcopalians in the United States, the Guatemalan Church has recovered completely from the destructive effects of the recent earthquake there and is now stronger than before.
"There is a new spirit of partnership and enthusiasm among the able, young clergy and their lay collaborators," he said.
"As a result, the Episcopal Church in Guatemala is attracting much favorable public attention, as well as a number of new members," Dean Charlton added.
For example, he said that on July 9 Bishop Carral confirmed and received over 70 adults and children in the Cathedral Parish of Santiago.
Dean Charlton said that the seminary intends to continue to provide conferences such as this one for the Dioceses of Latin America involving Spanish-speaking teachers from other seminary faculties, as well as from its own.
"We intend, also," he said, "to continue to encourage the regular attendance in Austin of selected clergy from these same countries, in order that strong ties of mutually-supportive fellowship can be established and maintained.
"It is to be expected that such interchange -- so useful in itself to the Church in Latin America -- will serve also to strengthen the Seminary of the Southwest in its ability to lead the Episcopal Church into a truly effective mission among HispanicAmericans in our own country, " he added.