Bishop runs off with school chaplain: The Church of England Newspaper, September 16, 2012 p 4. September 15, 2012
Posted by geoconger in Anglican Church of Aotearoa New Zealand & Polynesia, Church of England Newspaper.Tags: adultery, Diocese of Wellington, Kate Carey-Smith, Tom Brown
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Dr. Tom Brown
The New Zealand bishop who surrendered his licence to officiate as a priest last month has moved in with the wife of a clergyman. The Rt. Rev. Thomas Brown, the former Bishop of Wellington told the Dominion Post he was leaving the ministry in order “to be loyal to the church and maintain the church’s integrity”.
“I’ve stepped back from an involvement in the church for personal reasons. I volunteered to give back my licence, it was not taken from me,” he said, adding that “I think that under the circumstances it was appropriate that I stand down and have a period of sabbatical or time out, and the present bishop accepted that.”
The bishop’s 7 Aug 2012 decision to withdraw from the ministry came amidst reports he had separated from his wife, Dwyllis. “I have a private life and I’m endeavouring to get on with that to deal with the difficulty of separating from my wife,” the former bishop told the Post.
It has since been revealed that Bishop Brown has begun a relationship with the chaplain of Samuel Marsden Collegiate School, the Rev Canon Kate Carey-Smith. Canon Carey-Smith, whose husband, the Rev. Chris Carey-Smith is chaplain at St Mark’s Church School, resigned from her position on 3 Aug.
The new Bishop of Wellington, Justin Duckworth last month told reporters: “The breakdown of any marriage is always deeply sad for all involved.” He has declined to comment further.
First printed in The Church of England Newspaper.
Conger 