Pastor facing loss of office
BY GLORIA LaBOUNTY SUN CHRONICLE STAFF
Friday, February 2, 2007

ATTLEBORO - The Rev. Lance Giuffrida, who broke away from the national Episcopal Church with his congregation from All Saints parish, may now be stripped of his standing as an Episcopal priest.

Bishop Thomas Shaw of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts has issued Giuffrida a temporary order prohibiting him from performing any ministerial acts in the diocese for 90 days, the first of two steps toward deposition, or removal as a priest.

The Rev. Gregory Jacobs, diocesan staff officer for urban ministry development, said that under canon law clergy can be deposed if they openly declare they are leaving the church, which Giuffrida has done.

The deposition will now go before the diocese's standing committee in two weeks to consider the charge that Giuffrida abandoned the worldwide Anglican Communion and violated his ordination vows by breaking with the Episcopal Church, the Anglican church in this country. the rest