Members of St John's, Shaughnessy "feel like they have come home" following the re-licensing of their clergy for ministry, says the Rev Mark Calder, rector of St Andrew's Roseville, who helped out at St John's in May while on special leave.

In late April, the Rev David Short, Dr JI Packer and other clergy at St John's and like-minded parishes were licensed by Bishop Donald Harvey of the Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC) under the jurisdiction of Archbishop Greg Venables of the Southern Cone.

"They ( the people of St John's) have been sharpened by the fire of trial," wrote Mr Calder. "Are their troubles over? No. The Bishop of their former diocese has vowed to come after their property, so a legal challenge awaits. So the tragedy and irony is that the flock are now gearing up to protect themselves from their former "shepherd'."