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Another Lawsuit Seeks Return of Break-Away Parish Property To Episcopal Church

By Howard M. Friedman

Yesterday's Modesto (CA) Bee reports on a new lawsuit growing out of the Dec. 2007 decision of the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin (CA) to break away from the Episcopal Church to join the more conservative Province of the Southern Cone. (See prior posting.) In an earlier lawsuit, the Episcopal Church and the parallel Diocese that remained loyal to it sued the break-away diocese that owned most of the property of break-away parishes. However ten of the parishes were separately incorporated and held title to their own property. Most of those parishes surrendered their property, however St. Francis Anglican Church in Turlock (CA) did not. Now a separate lawsuit has been filed against St. Francis seeking return of control of the parish premises and other assets to the Diocese of San Joaquin that remains part of the Episcopal Church. [Thanks to Virtue Online for the lead.]

Full post as published by Religion Clause on February 12, 2010 (boomark / email).