The Rt. Rev. R. William Franklin writes to the Diocese of Western New York to announce his plan to retire in April 2019:
When I left on sabbatical in April, I said to you that one of the things I would be doing during that time was praying and thinking about my retirement as Bishop of Western New York.
I want to share with you that I have made the decision to retire on April 3, 2019, which is the date required by the current Canons of the Episcopal Church.
I count it as one of the greatest privileges of my life that I serve you and the Church as the 11th Bishop of Western New York. It is a joy and pleasure to walk closely with each of your congregations and to see the Gospel of Christ manifested in so many places and in so many ways in our region.
Update and correction by the Diocese of Western New York: “With the consent of both Standing Committees, Bishops Franklin and [Sean] Rowe [of Northwestern Pennsylvania] discussed with clergy a plan for the two dioceses to consider the possibility of a shared future.”