wfn.org | [ENS]Mauney disputes Ugandan secretary's letter to Griswold

["Episcopal News Service" <ens@epicom.org>]

Title:[ENS]Mauney disputes Ugandan secretary's letter to Griswold

032312-1 

12/23/2003  

[Episcopal News Service] Officials at the Episcopal Church Center dispute
claims contained in an open letter to Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold signed
by the Church of Uganda's Provincial Secretary, accusing the Episcopal Church
of ignoring the refugee situation in northern Uganda.
 
The letter, signed by the Rev. Stanley Ntagali, purports to express "the
strong feelings and concerns of the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, the
Provincial Assembly Standing Committee and the Enthronement Organising
Committee."
 
It castigates the Episcopal Church for recognizing same-sex unions and
ordaining an openly gay cleric as a bishop, declaring that as a result the
Church of Uganda has "cut" its relationship with ECUSA, except for those
dioceses that have dissociated from the two actions.
 
"Considering those things, we were shocked to receive a letter from you
informing us of your decision to send a delegation to the enthronement of our
new Archbishop in January, and your intention for the delegation to bring aid
and assistance for the people who live in desperate conditions in the camps
in Gulu that you have ignored for years," the letter said. Ntagali went on to
announce that the Ugandan church would be "pleased to receive an official
delegation from the Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses, and Parishes who
remain Committed to Biblical faith and with whom our relationship steadfastly
continues."
 
But the Rev. Patrick Mauney, director of the Episcopal Church's Anglican and
Global Relations program, had a different version of the events leading up to
the open letter. Shortly after Thanksgiving, he said, Archbishop Livingstone
Nkoyoyo, the current primate, wrote Griswold a "warm" letter in which he
mentioned in passing that he was ready to hand over the office to Bishop
Henry Orombi.
 
In his response, Griswold noted his pleasure that a "deputation from this
Province" would be present for Orombi's installation. The deputation,
composed of several bishops, was organized some months ago by the director of
Episcopal Migration Ministries and the Partnership Office for Africa to visit
refugee camps in West Africa. Since the deputation was to be in Africa at the
same time as the installation event, Uganda was added to the itinerary, which
would also then include a visit to refugee camps in northern Uganda, Mauney
said.
 
On December 17 Griswold received the letter from the Provincial Secretary of
the Church of Uganda stating that a deputation could not be received.
 
Mauney said in an email on December 18 that Ntagali's accusation regarding
the Gulu camps in northern Uganda is "demonstrably untrue."
 
"The Washington Office of TEC has advocated more than once before Congress on
the issue; ERD generously funds the Church of Uganda's PDR (Planning,
Development and Relief) Department, the provincial body responsible for
outreach to the area; the Presiding Bishop spoke with bishops of northern
Uganda about the situation when he was in Uganda earlier this year, "said
Mauney.