[Magdalen] Fwd: A Letter from Presiding Bishop Michael Curry to the Diocese of Virginia

[Suzie Buchanan]

I have refrained from jumping in on all of this - even a year later my own
exit from that diocese is still a bit painful (the one chance contact I had
with the bishop was actually much worse than nothing would have been, as my
parish was running me out of town) so I have tried to not comment on his
situation.  BUT . . . there was that first letter back on May 24 which I
think sheds all the light needed on this.  It is not health issues.  It is
not "wouldn't it be great to be retired, young."  Here's the pertinent part
from the letter which went out to inform the diocese that the search for a
second Suffragan Bishop was being halted (for those who don't know,
Virginia is a large diocese that normally operates with three
bishops):  *emphasis
mine*

"We have taken this extraordinary step [stopping an already underway bishop
search process] for two fundamental reasons. First, over the past few
months, *serious questions have been brought forward by members of the
diocesan staff having to do with the leadership and the culture among
diocesan staff.* As Bishop I must take full responsibility for this
situation. Utmost in my priorities will be to ensure that all of us
function well together. The crucial point as we face this reality is that
this is not the time to introduce a new bishop into the diocesan system.
Rather, it is much preferable to bring in the help we need to address the
difficulties and identify ways that the staff as a culture and system can
be become fully functional again. To this end, it is my hope to engage the
services of the Lombard-Mennonite Peace Center, the leading church
organizational consultant group in the country, to work with us. I have
been in touch with the Presiding Bishop's office about our situation and
the possibilities to address it, and we have been advised that they are in
full agreement with our decision. I am confident we will succeed in the
tasks before us because our staff is a talented group and each person is
deeply committed to the Church, to this Diocese and to building up the
Kingdom of God."

Me again:  The Lombard Mennonite Peace Center specializes in conflict
mediation work.  They are not just an "organizational consultant group" -
they do CONFLICT MEDIATION.  It seems obvious to me that the result of that
work has been that the parties involved (diocesan staff) have NOT worked
out the differences, and the solution has been for the bishop to resign
("retire").  I think he must be relieved that he CAN retire young.  This
May 24 letter to the diocese went out exactly one month after the Canon to
the Ordinary announced that he was leaving the diocese to accept another
call. Was his choice influenced by the problems needing the mediation??

Anyway - I don't think speculation about health issues (for Shannon or
Ellen)  is warranted.  I think pretty much all that we will really know is
found in that May 24 letter.

Suzie
VERY happily just celebrated my first anniversary in a new parish and a new
diocese - both of which are joys to be a part of!  But I'm still making the
300 mile each way commuter marriage trek to spend a few days every other
week with my husband who is still at his job in Richmond.  THAT part of
this past year has had its challenges!