From Our Neighbors to the West

February 07, 2006
Rector of 'Extinct' Parish Inhibited

The Living Church
2/7/2006

The Rev. David Harnish, whose Irondequoit, N.Y., parish was declared "extinct" by the Diocese of Rochester during the annual diocesan convention in November, has been inhibited and now faces “new decisions,” according to the Bishop of Rochester.

The Rt. Rev. Jack M. McKelvey inhibited Fr. Harnish for six months effective Jan. 26 after “careful, prayerful discussion and deliberation” with the standing committee.

In a Jan. 25 pastoral letter to diocesan congregations, Bishop McKelvey said Fr. Harnish and the All Saints’ congregation had failed to contribute toward its mandatory parochial assessment payments to the diocese and had taken a number of other steps that made it clear that they “were not desirous of being part of our family.” He explained that the diocesan canons allow the diocese to close a viable congregation in response to such provocation, and it would have been unfair to make a special exception for All Saints’.

Bishop McKelvey said that if Fr. Harnish does not “reconsider and retract” or “renounce” his orders within the next six months, “I am obliged with the advice and consent of the standing committee to depose him as a priest. This means that David will no longer be a priest in the Episcopal Church.”

Shortly after November’s vote, All Saints’ announced that Fr. Harnish and the congregation were under the jurisdictional authority of the Anglican Province of Uganda. The congregation has continued to be led in weekly worship by Fr. Harnish at the same location where it has worshipped for 78 years.

The diocese “was exploring options in regard to the property dispute, including preservation of the Episcopal parish records,” Bishop McKelvey said.