Saturday, September 27, 2014

Bishop Conry of Arundel and Brighton resigns

Update: the Mail on Sunday breaks a story about two relationships Bishop Conry apparently admits to having, here. Extract:

Although the letters do not disclose a sexual relationship, the affair lasted more than a year and involved the married woman spending at least three nights at the bishop's detached property in Pease Pottage, West Sussex.

The Mail on Sunday has also seen a love letter from the bishop to a second woman, whose name we are not publishing for legal reasons.

The bishop insisted that the affair with the mother of two was not the reason for his resignation. He said he had quit over a different relationship.

Confronted at his home last night, he said: 'This has nothing to do with your enquiries. It is totally unrelated. This relates to a relationship of six years ago. So be careful what you write. This had nothing to do with your earlier questions.'

Approached by this newspaper in June, the bishop denied any sexual relationship with the married woman but admitted she had stayed at his house twice, adding: 'She is not the only woman who has stayed here.'


His statement, to be read in parishes in his diocese this weekend, from the diocesen news blog.

Bishop Kieran Conry has offered his resignation as Bishop of the Diocese of Arundel & Brighton. In a statement he said:

Statement by Bishop Kieran Conry
I am sorry to confess that, going back some years, I have been unfaithful to my promises as a Catholic priest. I would like to reassure you that my actions were not illegal and did not involve minors.

As a result, however, I have decided to offer my resignation as bishop with immediate effect and will now take some time to consider my future.

I want to apologise first of all to the individuals hurt by my actions and then to all of those inside and outside the diocese who will be shocked, hurt and saddened to hear this.

I am sorry for the shame that I have brought on the diocese and the Church and I ask for your prayers and forgiveness.

There will be no further comment.


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12 comments:

  1. Anonymous8:30 pm

    I heard of this at Mass tonight. Very sad news. We must pray for Kieran.

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  2. Could this be a missing link? http://linenonthehedgerow.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/bishop-conry-misses-golden-opportunity.html

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  3. The question is: why the confession at this juncture?

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    1. Maybe something to do with a story being published in todays Mail on Sunday?

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    2. Most likely because it was about to leak out.

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  4. It's presumably about sex, but it would be more interesting if he was resigning because of his failure to preach the Catholic faith for years.

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    1. Anonymous12:10 am

      They are inextricably linked.

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    2. Lynda is correct. As the Mail story says:

      ‘It has been difficult keeping the secret,’ he told the Mail. ‘In some respects I feel very calm. It is liberating. It is a relief. I have been very careful not to make sexual morality a priority [in his sermons].

      I think the Rorate Caeli editorial today on this is, sadly, rather on point about how this plays out. Not every bishop who leaves off on the hard teachings is necessarily guilty of breaking his vows, but I have been around the Church enough to know that it happens more often than people like to think.

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  5. Perhaps the woman can seek an annulment and they can get married. CMOC could preside over the service. Any distress to her ex can be paid for by the parishoners of A & B.

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    1. Her... Which of the women are you referring to? The one mentioned in Christian Order, Jan 2002? The one admitted by +Conry of 6 Years ago, or the latest married (for now) with 2 children?

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    2. Why not all three? You must be broadminded about these things old boy.

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  6. Well according to Voris, and I tend to agree with him, (video 15/09/14), the whole post Vat II mess has been largely about sex. That, plus inculturisation (Kwasniewski 25/09/14) and secularisation all from the same book incidentally and now of course Communion for the divorced and remarried, which will no doubt be followed by other such matters if that lobby is successful.

    And the vehicle for this attack? The liturgy

    Interesting times indeed!

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