UGANDA: Orombi protests over Jamaican meet

By Barbara Among
New Vision
http://www.newvision.co.ug
May, 11, 2009

Archbishop Henry Luke Orombi has written to the Archbishop of Canterbury, over the blocking of a Church of Uganda delegate from attending a meeting in Jamaica.

Uganda is entitled to three delegates; a bishop, a priest and lay person to the Anglican Consultative Council meeting.

The Rev. Philip Ashey was rejected by the organisers who said nominating an American reverend to represent Uganda was against the constitution of the consultative council.

"If Ashey's appointment is unacceptable, then we will be forced to bring this unbiblical, unjust and unconstitutional precedent to the attention of the rest of the communion," read the May 2 letter to Dr. Rowan Williams.

Ashey, who had earlier registered for the conference as a journalist, was also rejected because he joined the Rwenzori Diocese in 2005 after he opposed a decision by the US bishops to consecrate a self-confessed homosexual as a bishop.

Although a reverend of the Rwenzori Diocese, Ashey resides in Atlanta in the US.

"We are content for him to resume his press accreditation, if he so wishes," said the Rev. Canon Kenneth Kearon, secretary of the Anglican Communion.

Orombi warned that the committee was playing double standards, adding that the appointment of delegates was not subject to a review by any institution.

Orombi said the decision stifled the voice of almost 100,000 orthodox Anglicans in North America and Anglican Church of Canada who have been persecuted by the Episcopal Church in the US for their stand against gay marriages.

He added that the decision would further tear the Anglican Church that is already divided over the question of gay marriages.

By blocking Ashey, a section of the Anglican Church in Canada, North America and Africa is not represented at the meeting in which important decisions on issues affecting the Anglican Church are made.

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