Diocese of Rochester NY:
Lawyers scrap at All Saints today
Marketta Gregory
Staff writer

(November 21, 2005) — A delegation from Rochester's Episcopal diocese — including the bishop and an attorney — requested the keys and assets from All Saints Episcopal Church today.

"We wanted to come by and request that the assets be tranferred," said Philip Fileri, chancellor for the diocese. "It's the responsibility of the diocese to protect the assets," he told Raymond J. Dague, an attorney representing the Irondequoit church.

"The church isn't open and we did not bring the keys," Dague said, speaking for the church that was voted out of the diocese Saturday for not keeping up its payments to the diocese. The lapse in payments was a way for the church to take a stand against the diocese and the Epicopal Church USA, which supported ordaining a gay bishop without the approval of the worldwide church, called the Anglican Communion.

"We no longer acknowledge your authority," Dague added.The two attorneys argued briefly over whether it was legal for the diocese to take control of the property and assets, as the bishop and others stood silent.

"I heard a hint of a possible lawsuit," Dague said after the diocesan representatives had left.

McKelvey had a news conference this afternoon and fielded more questions from the local media about what would happen next. He didn't offer any specifics, however. We're trying to deal with this one step at a time, McKelvey said, indicating that he hoped to avoid a lawsuit.
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