WALTHAMSTOW: Vicar threatened over church split (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

WALTHAMSTOW: Vicar threatened over church split

8:31am Tuesday 24th November 2009

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(7)

A VICAR has been threatened with violence over suggestions his Anglican church may join the Catholic church, according to reports.

Fr David Waller of St Saviour’s, in Markhouse Road, Walthamstow, said he received an intimidating phone call and also discovered graffiti daubed on a a church sign at the weekend after expressing interest in the move.

It comes after Pope Benedict XVI invited members of the Anglican church to join his section of Christianity following disputes over the ordination of women and gay rights in the church.

Fr Waller told the Daily Telegraph newspaper he found the threatening message on his answer phone.

He said: "The message was distorted – it sounded drunken and I don’t want to make too much of it."

He added: "The key players in the parish, including the churchwardens, are completely disillusioned with the Church of England and see the Ordinariate as the solution.

"I can’t speak for all the silent folk in the pews, but a significant number of them are Eastern European Roman Catholics, so I don’t think it would be a problem for them.”

The graffiti on a sign in the church's grounds says "C of E No Pope".

A decision on whether St Saviour's should join the Catholic church has not yet been made, pending further discussion between church elders.

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(7)