A Statement from Five Connecticut Episcopal Churches Decrying the Actions of the Bishop of Connecticut
We are extremely sympathetic to Father Mark Hansen, a godly and committed priest who is experiencing outrageous abuse at the hands of Bishop Andrew Smith.
Father Hansen has sought to serve St. John's and protect the interests of a congregation at odds with Bishop Smith regarding theological and doctrinal issues. Bishop Smith's inhibition of Father Hansen is unconscionable and represents a personal attack devoid of pastoral concern for the Hansen family or the parishioners of St. John's.
In addition, we are appalled that Bishop Smith has ignored the authority of the duly elected leadership of St. John's by seizing, without warning, the church property, disregarding the expressed will of those present and violating the cherished church home of faithful members of St. John's.
In the name of "pastoral concern" he has treated St. John's as though it were a crime scene. We note, without qualification, that the church has faithfully fulfilled the expectations of canon law by providing for consistent and ongoing pastoral leadership for the congregation during Father Hansen's sabbatical.
We believe this is one more example of Bishop Smith's apparent intention to systematically destroy, one by one, the six parishes that have requested adequate episcopal oversight. This crisis is one that extends far beyond Connecticut.
It is a crisis for the Episcopal Church and for the entire Anglican Communion. We believe this situation requires immediate and bold intervention on the part of the Panel of Reference established by the Archbishop of Canterbury, and we call upon the Panel to act swiftly and decisively to the relief of St. John's specifically and the "Connecticut Six" generally.
And we're off and running, courtesy of Smith's pre-emptive and appalling actions.
I know the Network has a fund set up for the support of Priests in conditions just such as this. I am now working to find out how to contribute to this fund - and have encouraged some other friends to do the same.
We must support our Priests when we have Bishop's like this, who swoop in with the gestapo tactics, and boot out a Priest and essentially, his parish.
I am so disgusted - I'd type more but I just heard thunder and have to take down my system.
Later.