... SOME CHURCH SENIORS BACK PRIESTS’ TRANSFER DECISION

MBABANE – Some senior members of the Anglican Church have jumped to the defence of Bishop Dr Dalcy Dlamini over the transfer of All Saints Rector Father Advent Nhlanhla Dlamini.

They, among other things, contended that Canon 25 (6) provided that the bishop may transfer the priest upon consulting with him. A Canon is akin to a constitution and is binding among the members of the Anglican community. Church members yesterday delivered a petition to the diocese house over Revered Advent Dlamini’s transfer. “If the priest refuses, the bishop consults with Chapter, which is a selection of priests drawn from the different parishes which must call the disobedient priest and consult with him that he must leave,” said the senior member who asked to be remain anonymous. According to the senior congregant, if the priest refused to be transferred after consultation with Chapter, then the bishop could fire him after giving him three-months notice as per Canon 25(7). He further alleged that Canon 24 (2) described his (priest) relationship with the bishop. He said Canon 24 could be interpreted as being a job description for the priest.

Provision

“Then Canon 25(2) places the placement of a cleric upon the bishop ... like in the case of Rev. Dlamini at All Saints, he was placed there at the pleasure of the bishop. This provision was meant to hinder the congregation from being attached to the priest and the Anglican Church becoming a ministry. Bese kutsiwa ngumuntfu wetfu lo satikhetsela satifunela,” added the senior congregant. He went on to allege that there was no consultation with the church members in the appointment but it was the clergymen who dealt with the transfer. “Rev. Dlamini is being transferred to Mhlume and that dispute is between him and the bishop. He replaced Rev. Charles Kunene, who was transferred by former Bishop Meshack Mabuza and the church members did not have a say,” said the senior congregant. He  went on to alleged that, ironically, Rev. Advent Dlamini  and Rev. Charles Kunene were the two contenders for the post of bishop in 2021 but there was no winner because one needed 75 per cent votes from clergy and laity. A clergy are the priests from all the parishes and a laity are two representative from each church i.e. members of the congregation.  

Voting

The senior member further alleged that during the voting, the priests favoured Rev. Advent Dlamini, while the laity was for  Rev. Kunene thus there was no clear winner, hence the Synod of bishops from South Africa were asked to vote for a bishop of their choice. He highlighted that the Cathedral Church was very sensitive to the bishop because she was a resident of the Diocesan headquarters in Mbabane. He also pointed out that the bishop had a permanent seat within the church, thus the priests in there must be able to work with the bishop. “But the problem now is that other members of the Cathedral Church do not want the current bishop thus her seat might gather dust. That is where the problem lies, which may require the intervention of God and Archbishop Thabo Makgoba,” he stated.

Law

As per the senior congregant, the bishop had the law on her side but not the congregation. He went on to allege that the title deed of the church vested with the Diocesan Trust Board, which was chaired by the bishop and she could decide to lock out the Cathedral congregation. He clarified that the Cathedral was one other parish or branch of the Anglican Church.
“The headquarters is at the Diocesan Office that controls all the churches or parishes. So in this case, it is one parish fighting with Bishop Dalcy not the entire Anglican Church and it is only one priest that is in issue out of the 210 priests of the Anglican Church,” alleged the senior member. Dr Dalcy, when contacted, asked who was calling and after this reporter introduced herself, she hung up. Subsequent calls were made but her phone rang unanswered.

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