"Your behavior, now and in the past, exposes the church, its ministry and those in our care to danger," Sauls wrote in an Oct. 8, 2004, letter to Hodges.

The diocese released the letter and a copy of the charges Hodges faces after the priest told the Herald-Leader he was leaving the church largely because of doctrinal differences.

Hodges, a 1986 graduate of Lexington's now-defunct Episcopal Theological Seminary, was ordained as a priest in the Lexington Diocese in 1987. He led congregations in Middlesboro and Winchester in the 1990s.

The Mississippi native later opened a ministry for drug and alcohol addicts in Hattiesburg, Miss., without getting approval or oversight from that state's bishop.

In December 2002, after a Mississippi clergyman complained about Hodges' unauthorized ministry, Sauls sent Hodges "a solemn warning and a godly admission" ordering him "not to function in any way as a priest."

Sauls later urged Hodges to submit to the oversight of Mississippi's bishop, suggesting the problems could be resolved if Hodges was licensed to be a priest in Mississippi.

But Hodges, who is still officially part of the Lexington Diocese, never got permission from the Mississippi bishop.

Hodges, who still resides in that state, said church officials were alarmed because he offers free counseling services and has no malpractice insurance -- thus exposing the church to possible liability.

"They don't want a loose cannon out here," he said.

But the Lexington Diocese said there were other problems.

The church's indictment, known as a presentment, accuses Hodges of repeatedly contacting an ex-girlfriend by mail and by phone against her wishes.

The presentment said the woman had confided in Hodges that her son was being physically abused by one of the child's relatives. After the woman ended the relationship, the presentment said, Hodges notified the Mississippi Department of Human Services about the allegations.

In an interview, Hodges said the relationship ended because he had a legal obligation to report the abuse to authorities. He denied he wrote or called too much.

"I have not always conducted myself perfectly. I don't want to sound holier-than-thou," Hodges said. "But I do deny any misconduct regarding these particular instances."

In an interview, the priest said he has been sober for four years.

In a letter to Sauls this week, Hodges denied "conduct unbecoming" a member of the clergy. He said he was resigning from the church in part because the U.S. branch of the Anglican communion has lost its way.

"Due to teachings and advisements regarding the social issues of abortion, euthanasia and same-sex marriage, the Episcopal Church defies scripture, tradition, reason and the one true and living God," Hodges wrote.

The letter won't short-circuit the court trial, said Hinkle, the diocese attorney, who expressed surprise Hodges had portrayed his resignation as motivated largely by theological differences.

Until now, "I'm not aware of any occasion where (Hodges) has stated that he is in disagreement with the national church," Hinkle said.

Hodges, who is not accused of any criminal wrongdoing, would be the second Episcopal priest to face an ecclesiastical trial court in recent years in Lexington.

The Rev. Chris Platt, Sauls' former top lieutenant, was defrocked in 2004 after he was accused of stealing funds from the bishop's discretionary fund.

END