Bradford's dismay at various developments in the Episcopal Church, far fewer supported his confrontational attitude to the Bishop of Massachusetts or his desire to bring the Parish within the Roman fold. The final rupture came early in 1996, when the Bishop, intervening at the Vestry's request, dissolved the pastoral relationship between Fr. Bradford and the Parish. Bradford and about thirty former members of All Saints' were received into the Roman Catholic Church. In spite of legislation in Philadelphia and defections to Rome, opinion within the Parish on the issue of women's ministries is at present far from monolithic.
Some parishioners still adhere firmly to a traditional view of the apostolic ministry.
Others, perhaps equally numerous, fully accept the new ministries of women. Responses to the Questionnaire show, however, that most of those in the latter group feel that the Parish should, for unity's sake, call a male priest as Rector. Although our previous Rector departed under difficult, not to say traumatic, circumstances, All Saints' was not left comfortless. One happy result of our troubles has been a rapprochement with the Diocese of Massachusetts. Already known and trusted by the parishioners, Fr.