AN unholy row has broken out between an ex-Lieutenant Governor and the Bishop.
Sir Laurence New has resigned as church warden and licensed reader at St Matthew’s church, North Quay, Douglas.
In an open letter to members of the church, he says he is sad to have resigned but felt it necessary as he can no longer honour his vow of obedience to Bishop Robert Paterson.
This has prompted Bishop Robert to accuse Sir Laurence of a ‘serious breach of trust’.
The row concerns Bishop Robert’s decision not to agree to the appointment of Father Robert Ferguson as priest-in-charge at St Matthew’s.
In his letter, Sir Laurence says: ‘Fr Robert is an outstanding Manx priest, loved and held in high esteem, and who is now debarred by the Diocesan Bishop from being further considered as our priest-in-charge.’
He says he will consider a formal complaint to ‘minimise the distress felt by our congregation and many others’.
Bishop Robert said: ‘Sir Laurence has not done me the courtesy of forwarding a copy of the letter.
‘Permission to officiate as a Reader is granted by the Bishop and not by any congregation. I have not received a resignation from Sir Laurence so, having heard of his intention to resign expressed in public to others, I have revoked his permission.
‘Sir Laurence was party to a scrupulously fair appointment process and, as such, he still remains committed to confidentiality. I have been shocked that he has broken that confidentiality and I cannot comment further on this serious breach of trust.
‘Reverend Robert Ferguson, who is undertaking some of the vacancy duty in St Matthew’s Parish, has had my permission to officiate since 2009. I note a reason for his resignation is he could now feel free to make a formal complaint. He has always been at liberty to do so.’
Another open letter to the Bishop, published in last week’s Examiner, spoke of congregations’ ‘distress and disquiet’ at reorganisation of the diocesan parishes said to have been ‘rushed through’. Moves to amalgamate parishes were unveiled in 2008. First of the changes came in force last year.