In April 2004, our representative from the House of Bishops, The Rt. Rev'd. Roy Screech, Suffragan Bishop of St Germans spoke on reinstatement following marriage breakdown. The "Guidelines for Bishops" were approved by the House of Bishops in January 2004.
1. There should be a transparent, nationally agreed and, as far as possible, just process for dealing with questions of discipline and reinstatement for clergy who lose their post following marriage breakdown, or who seek to move to another parish or diocese although no formal discipline had taken place.
2. Before reinstatement takes place there should be a period of consultation conducted on behalf of the diocesan bishop in conjunction - as appropriate - with Lambeth Palace or Bishopthorpe
3. The consultation should wherever possible include the divorced or separated spouse, and may as appropriate, need to include others who have been most affected by the behaviour of the priest (such as close family members (e.g. children), and parochial representatives), and, where possible, the Bishop's Visitor who was involved at the time of the breakdown.
4. The consultation would be concerned with the past events that led to the problem, with changes that have happened since, and with the likely future effects of reinstatement upon those most closely involved. The person who was the Visitor at the time of the marriage breakdown would usually be in a position to offer a balancing view of past events and, if possible, of changes that have happened since.
5. Having undertaken this consultation process, the bishop alone has final responsibility for making a decision to reinstate or not. The bishop should always inform the divorced or separated spouse of the decision that he has taken.
6. If reinstatement take place, there should be a commitment to a form of supportive supervision for a specified period. (c)
7. There should be an efficient inter-diocesan administration structure for dealing with these procedures. Diocesan bishops should share information between themselves in cases where a priest (either reinstated or seeking reinstatement) applies to serve in another diocese.
Notes
(a) Bishops will wish to consider carefully who should carry out the consultation: an existing member of their staff: their Visitor; or, perhaps, a bishop's officer, in a similar position to officers who carry out enquiries about divorced persons applying for ordination.
(b) There should be a link-up with the parallel procedure for those clergy on the Lambeth and Bishopthorpe Lists - see paragraph 4, 8-9 of "Redemption, Rehabilitation and Restoration."
(c) Bishops will wish to consider who could offer such
supportive supervision, and exactly what its purpose would be.
