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Saturday, December 02, 2006




BISHOP LENNON HAS REMOVED AN AKRON PRIEST

From Ohio.com:

The Rev. Edwin Leonard has been removed as pastor of Annunciation Church, and a new priest has been assigned to the parish.

In a letter to parishioners to be issued this weekend at Masses, Cleveland Catholic Diocese Bishop Richard G. Lennon ssaid that he had met with Leonard on several occasions regarding the financially troubled parish.

``In light of numerous pieces of information, I encouraged him to resign as pastor of Annunciation Parish for his own good, the good of the people of Annunciation parish and for the good of the Church,'' Lennon said in a prepared statement. ``He has chosen not to resign in response to my requests. In light of my conviction and for the spiritual and pastoral good of the people of Annunciation parish, I have removed him as their pastor.''

It is believed to be the first time in more than 30 years that a parish priest has been removed for ineffective ministry. Leonard, who has led the east Akron parish since November 2002, could not be reached for comment.

Leonard, who was ordained in 1984, is still a priest but is prohibited from being on the property at Annunciation. Diocesan officials would not specify the reasons for Leonard's removal, but said Leonard had been given a temporary place of residence in the diocese to go through a discernment process.

The Rev. Ralph Wiatrowski, diocesan chancellor, said that according to canon law, a parish priest can be removed by a diocesan bishop when his ministry becomes harmful or ineffective.

He said although there can be many reasons, canon law specifies that a priest can be removed ``especially for denying a major teaching of the church; ineptitude -- mental or physical problems; loss of good reputation among the people; neglect, which persists after a warning or poor administration, including the financial direction of a parish.''

Wiatrowski said that a priest can appeal a bishop's decision.

``The removal of a priest is not just a willful decision of the bishop,'' Wiatrowski said. ``It's meant to be a medicinal type thing -- taking care of a problem and taking care of the parish.''

In March, diocesan officials met with parish finance and pastoral committees after the announcement that Annunciation-St. John Elementary School would close at the end of the 2005-2006 school year. At that time, the school owed the diocese about $250,000 for employee benefits and the parish was $293,000 in arrears in diocesan assessments.


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