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


Below is the letter from Kathryn Eden, president of the standing committee of the diocese of Central New York informing Fr. Robert Hackendorf that the standing committee of the diocese will not certify Fr. Hackendorf as a priest in the diocese. Bishop Skip Adams established a requirement over a year ago when Fr. Bob came to St. Andrew’s in Syracuse, New York that the standing committee certify him in order to be recognized as a priest in Central New York. Fr. Bob has been the “pastoral leader” of the parish for the last year, but out of deference to the bishop’s request, has until now not celebrated the Eucharist, although he wears a clergy collar, and vests in a stole for all liturgies, preaches, teaches classes, presides over vestry meetings, and does every other thing one sees a rector do in a parish. Fr. Hackendorf has been ordained clergy in the Anglican Communion for almost six years, and is and has been for the last several years canonically resident in Rwanda under Archbishop Emmanuel Kolini. Archbishop Kolni’s letters dimissory were delivered to Bishop Adams just over a year ago, but Bishop Adams, while acknowledging that he got the document, has not officially accepted or rejected them within 90 days as required by canon law. Bishop Adams has not yet responded to the letter of Fr. Hackendorf (above), nor has he responded to the letter of the wardens of the parish of January 2, 2006 which was written to him concerning the acceptance of Fr. Hackendorf in this diocese. St. Andrew’s in Syracuse with an average Sunday attendance of about 200 people has the largest attendance of any parish in the diocese, and will be starting a third regular worship service on Saturday evenings beginning Saturday, February 4, 2006 to supplement the two Sunday morning services already being held. (Comment by Raymond Dague, chancellor to St. Andrew’s vestry)



January 19, 2006

Dear Robert,

We appreciated your willingness to meet with the Standing Committee on January 10, 2006. As we listened to you speak of your vocation and desire to embrace the Episcopal Church, we felt that you have some unresolved issues concerning the Episcopal Church and your connection with the Church of Rwanda. Title III, Canon 11, section 4 would require “a 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…”

At this time we cannot certify you to continue in the process, however, we are not “closing the door” for a further conversation to reengage the process. We would encourage you to continue to explore your readiness to make the required promise in light of your concerns for some of the positions that the Episcopal Church holds and might continue to hold. We pray for you, for your ministry and for your ongoing discernment.

Sincerely,
The Rev. Kathryn Eden
President of the Standing Committee
Diocese of Central NY

CC: The Rt. Rev. Gladstone B. Adams, III, Bishop
The Very Rev. Thomas Luck, Dean
The Rev. John LaVoe
The Rev. Jennie Montgomery, Chair of the COM