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PUERTO RICO: Property Disputes raised at HOB meeting
News Release from mobilizing group of bishops
Episcopal News Service
October 4, 2005
During the fall meeting of the House of Bishops, twenty-eight bishops from across the Episcopal Church met to explore the creation of a resource to assist congregations and dioceses in the challenging work of resolving property disputes.
Concern was expressed regarding the emotional, spiritual, and financial costs of such disputes and the potential benefit of pooling experience, expertise, and other resources to assist in these difficult processes. It was imagined that such resources might include legal, canonical, financial, real estate, and mediation experts.
Because of the proliferation of lawsuits about church property, there is both a growing body of experience and wisdom emerging across the nation in these matters, as well as predictability that many more dioceses and bishops will face these challenges in the near future. Bishops deeply feel their responsibility to be good stewards of sacred places. To be drawn into litigious contests that threaten profound loss does harm to the past generation who contributed to the mission of the Episcopal Church and denies future generations rightful resources.
Bishop William Swing, California, brought this matter before the House of Bishops. He stated that a Steering Committee of ten people -- bishops, chancellors, and lawyers -- will be recruited immediately and that a report on its progress will be made at the next meeting of the House of Bishops.
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