Church 'knew nothing' of report when Rector appointed

Julie Kenwell • Published 12 Jan 2012 13:00

THE Church of Ireland's Clogher Diocese has insisted it knew nothing of a controversial report into the actions of one of its Rectors in a previous incumbency, until four years after he was appointed to his current post.

Last week The Impartial Reporter carried the story of Rev. John Marsburg (pictured right), Rector for Donacavey (Fintona) and Barr, who had experienced difficulties with his congregation whilst ministering in Scotland.

A report looking into the pastoral breakdown at St Cyprians, Lenzie, (Rev Marsburg's first charge), was carried out in December 2005 by the Assistant Priest at St James the Less Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Glasgow and Galloway, Rev Bryan Owen.

But just six months later in June 2006, Rev Marsburg was inducted as the new Rector for Donacavey and Barr.

One angered parishioner, who contacted this newspaper, said "serious questions" needed to be answered as to why local church members had not been informed during the appointment process about the difficulties their Rector had experienced in Scotland.

They submitted too, that some of the problems the Rector had experienced in the previous incumbency were a "carbon copy" of what has happened here.

In the report Rev Owen said there were "serious questions to be asked" about Rev Marsburg's ability to "carry the responsibilities of being a Rector".

The report also called into question the Rector's "professional development and his pastoral and personnel management skills" as a result of his church investigation.

"It's not enough to accept that being in his first charge he was bound to make mistakes," said Rev Owen in his conclusions, "Some of them have been extremely serious, both in themselves as well as in the consequences they have had for people in his pastoral care."

It is understood that the pastoral breakdown in the Clogher Diocese is now such that Rev Marsburg is not taking Sunday services at the Barr Church at present.

And speaking to The Impartial Reporter last week the parishioner accused those in authority of doing "anything in their power to cover up the truth".

However, responding to last week's article, a spokesperson for the Diocese of Clogher has insisted that it did not learn of the Owen report until 2010.

"Contrary to the implication in the piece, the Diocese did not receive the 2005 Owen report which was referred to until 2010 and nothing was received to preclude the appointment of the Rev. John Marsburg to the parish," said the spokesperson.

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This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 12 Jan 12

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