The Anglican Bishop of Gippsland defends appointment of openly gay priest... to a parish in Gippsland, Victoria

Contrary to the opinion of David Ould,who has become an avid reader of The Sydney Star Observer, John McIntyre, the Anglican Bishop of Gippsland has defended his decision to appoint an openly gay priest to a local parish, saying he has acted appropriately. The ABC reports that Bishop John McIntyre, says his decision to appoint Reverend David Head, who formerly held a position within a Melbourne parish, to the parish of Heyfield is in line with the policy of his diocese.

Bishop McIntyre's decision was criticised by a group of bigots at the Anglican Church League who, according to reports, had claimed that the appointment was in conflict with a resolution made at the Anglican Bishop's 1998 Lambeth Conference.


Bishop McIntyre said... I see myself simply as having appointed to a position in this diocese a person who was, to use the formal language, 'a priest in good standing in his previous diocese...the Gippsland diocese had a policy of welcoming gay and lesbian people and he himself had declared that policy in a speech to his synod last year...The policy of this diocese as I understand it is to be inclusive and welcoming of gay and lesbian people and...I will continue to welcome gay and lesbian people into the life of this diocese confident that God is at work in and through all those who are open to the call of God in their lives and wanting to offer ministry in the life of our churches.
Jack, I've told you before...people like those members ofthe sydney Anglican Church League do not give a rat's about the mistreatment of members of the GLBTI community. The only thing that matters to them is to eradicate us from their world...and they turn a blind eye to any autrocities inflicted upon GLBTI people.