A well-known regular churchgoer says she’s worried about the future of the Anglican church in the Isle of Man if its authorities don’t listen to parishioners.
Rosemary Penn, a former head of the Financial Supervision Commission, made her comments following a spat between Bishop Robert Paterson and former lieutenant governor Sir Laurence New last week.
The division centres on the pace of reorganisation in the diocese which Mrs Penn says is being driven through without the support of many congregation members around the Island.
Bishop Robert Paterson began a long-term change programme in 2008 with Commissions on Mission and Ministry and has since implemented an overhaul of parishes, which has resulted in several northern parishes combining and the creation of a new West Coast parish.
He says he has always welcomed feedback and has conuslted widely about his plans.
However Mrs Penn says the determination to bring about change is leaving some church-goers deeply unhappy and she warns riding roughshod over congregations could have dire results:
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