Friday, January 26, 2007

But We're Not Bitter, Oh No!

From Transfigurations, via titusonenine:

After six months of litigation by the Episcopal Diocese of Central New York to take over one of its former parishes in Syracuse, that parish has offered to settle the case by giving their property to the diocese, but the diocese has refused. The diocese filed the lawsuit against St. Andrews Church last July to take the property from those who have worshiped in the local congregation since 1903. The Diocese did this because the parish transferred its allegiance from Bishop Gladstone "Skip" Adams, III of Syracuse to the Anglican Archbishop of Rwanda.

"We thought we were making a very generous and charitable offer to settle their lawsuit against our people," said Raymond Dague, attorney for the parish. "They would get the buildings which are owned by us and for which they have sued us. This would have spared everyone the continuing scandal of a bishop suing a local church to assert spiritual authority in the civil courts."

You have to wonder if Bishop Skippy, III simply can't bear the notion of Syracusans passing by St. Andrew's and seeing a new sign denoting an Anglican rather than Episcopal church, thus reminding them this flock has fled.

No comments: