Diocese of Central NY refuses to accept Rwandan priest

The Rt. Rev. Gladstone Adams, Bishop
310 Montgomery Street
Syracuse NY 13202

January 23, 2006

Dear Bishop Adams:

I am in receipt of the letter of Kathryn Eden dated January 19, 2006 in her capacity as president of the standing committee informing me that the standing committee will not be recommending me for reception into the Episcopal Church and this diocese. When I was before the standing committee on January 10, 2006, I stated that I would be willing to sign the affirmation under Canon III.11.4 to “promise in writing to submit in all things to the Discipline of this Church without recourse to any other ecclesiastical jurisdiction or foreign civil jurisdiction.” In fact, I emphatically stated that I took that promise very seriously. But apparently they did not accept me on my word, since they raise “some unresolved issues concerning the Episcopal Church and [my] connection with the Church of Rwanda.” I want to be clear: while my offer to make the promises required by Canon was very sincere and without reservation, my answers to the other questions posed to me by the Standing Committee are the result of prayerful consideration and I do not foresee my position changing at any time in the future.

As you know from the letters dimissory of Archbishop Kolini which were delivered to you a year ago this month, I am a priest in the Anglican Province of the Church of Rwanda. My parish has never understood the logic of your insistence on a Canon III.11 process for my acceptance into this diocese, since that canon applies only to priests ordained in churches in the historic succession but not in communion with this church. Because the Church of Rwanda is in communion with the Episcopal Church in the United States (at least from America’s perspective) the parish does not see the need for a Canon III.11 procedure, but we were willing to accommodate it at your request. The standing committee’s judgment that “we cannot certify you to continue in the process” puts an end to that Canon III.11 reception process.

Since you have indicated that the recommendation of the standing committee was necessary for my reception, we are apparently at the end of the line. Since you are not willing to accept me under Canon III.12 as a priest in the Church of Rwanda, we would ask that you return to the parish the letters dimissory of Archbishop Kolini.

This action indicates that the Diocese of Central New York is not in communion with the Church of Rwanda, which is an indication that Central New York is withdrawing from the worldwide Anglican Communion. Our prayers continue to be with you and the diocese as you move ahead with your decision, in the words of the Windsor Report, “to walk apart” from the Communion of the wider church. Obviously, we refuse to abandon the Anglican Communion.

If you wish to discuss this matter further, I am available to meet with you at your convenience.

Sincerely,
Robert Hackendorf,
Rector
St Andrew's, Syracuse, NY

CC: The Rev. Kathryn Eden
The Very Rev. Thomas Luck, Dean
The Rev. John LaVoe
The Rev. Jennie Montgomery, Chair of the COM
The Rt. Rev. Emmanuel Kolini, Archbishop and Primate