First Press Conference from the House of Bishops

4:38 p.m. We're getting announcements regarding the service tonight. Bishop John Rabb, Diocese of Maryland, and Bishop O'Neill of Colorado are speaking. They are presenting an overview of the activities of the day and will answer the questions.

They have three sessions, the last one being tomorrow morning, in private. They are having a "conversation" and to take time to articulate to the ABC and the joint standing committee to help them understand where TEC is. Rowan spoke to the House tonight and "set the context for our conversation" to hear directly from him. We reflected on questions, O'Neill said.

Rabb: As we gathered as a House of Bishops it's the largest gathering of bishops in the long time. They have been using the word "conversation" to "conversion." It has been "respectful" he said, the House has specific norms that they have adopted and lived with for the last three years as to how they will use the time. They are arranged in Table Groups, so they talk with one another in a group, then summarize what they talked about and put in writing so it can be shared by all.

The bishops are now being asked for specifics. Jurisdiction - they decline to talk about what was said about jurisdiction. They will say that the topic came up and they had "conversation" about it.

David Virtue is now asking about the Eight Flying Primatial Vicars. The bishops are saying that nothing happened. "Bishop Katharine" announced she was going to have an announcement about oversight and that was all that was said.

Question again about Pastoral Oversight: What is the substance it. Now O'Neill is saying that Schori will have to answer that, just as Rowan would have to answer to the other question. They are not talking specifics.

Talked about who is invited to Windsor. Being asked to be more specific. Is Gene Robinson going? O'Neill said no one but Canterbury can answer that question.

Who is going to decide whether TEC has complied to the Dar Es Salaam Communique? O'Neill wants to answer about about responding to the Windsor Report (now he's going on and on about that, but of course that was not the question). So he's answering a question about Dar Es Salaam.

Now the other bishop is saying that Dar Es Salaam Communique was issued by the Primates. It was not a Communique - wait? So is Rowan representing the Primates, Kevin asks. No, he's representing Canterbury. The invitation is to him, he doesn't represent the Primates.

Has Canterbury asked you to do anything? No, there have been no specifics just lots and lots of conversation.

It was open and forthright conversation. They are now 2/3 of the way through the conversation. Now the Bishop of Maryland is saying how respectful it all was, their conversation, or that is that they are at a conversation.

The press is asking again about when HOB is making a decision about same sex unions and the bishop of Colorado said that he's not sure that reflects and accurate view. They had conversation. But it's like Dar Es Salaam does not exist.

The bishops are being asked whether the bishops understand the high stakes?

The Dar Es Salaam Communique was not the essence of their conversation, says the bishop of Maryland. That was the intent. It was not a specific conversation - it was not about the Communique. When then what the hell are we doing here?

Asked to categorize the seriousness. O'Neill is now saying that collectively as the House of Bishops who exercise oversight of each of their dioceses that they take their responsibilities seriously and said that the conversation showed their passion for the church.

And now it's all over. There was no news in this press conference.