Thursday, September 1, 2011

Defrocked Episcopal priest loses bid to retain Montco parish


From Philadelphia-

A Episcopal priest defrocked by the local diocese must step down as rector of his Rosemont parish and vacate the premises after 21 years there, a Montgomery County Court judge has ruled.

The Rev. David Moyer, 60, said Wednesday that he was saddened by Judge Stanley Ott's decision but would abide by his order to leave the Church of the Good Shepherd. He said he hoped to become a Roman Catholic priest.

An outspoken critic of liberal trends in the Episcopal Church, Moyer was defrocked in 2002 by the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania after he agreed to become a bishop in a small, conservative Anglican denomination.

Bishop Charles E. Bennison, head of the 55,000-member local diocese, ruled that Moyer had "broken communion" with the diocese and the Episcopal Church by that decision.

Moyer had for years denounced Bennison's acceptance of same-sex marriage and gay clergy, and barred the bishop from preaching or conducting confirmations at his parish. Moyer also rejects the ordination of women.

More here-

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/pennsylvania/128855363.html

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