Results of Haiti’s recent episcopal election are being challenged and the process leading to an investigation has begun.
The House of Bishops received word of the challenge July 9 in an announcement by Todd Ousley, Bishop for Pastoral Development. Upon hearing the news, the House of Bishops promptly went into executive session for “pastoral conversations.”
“There has been some measure of controversy within the election process in the Diocese of Haiti,” Bishop Ousley said. “We are moving into an objection of the election process.”
The Very Rev. Joseph Kerwin Delicat was elected June 2 as bishop coadjutor, a position that places him in line to replace the Rt. Rev. Jean Zache Duracin as diocesan bishop. Delicat serves as dean of Holy Trinity Cathedral in Port-au-Prince.
“The presiding bishop has received notification of contestation of the election,” Ousley said. Presiding Bishop Michael Curry has begun working with officers of Province II to prepare an investigation.
Ousley did not identify the nature of the challenge. TLC has obtained a copy of the contestation, which follows.
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G. Jeffrey MacDonald is an award-winning religion reporter, United Church of Christ pastor, church consultant and author of Part-Time is Plenty: Thriving without Full-Time Clergy (WJK Press, 2020). His website is gjeffreymacdonald.com.
