Current:Home > BackRetired bishop in New York state gets married after bid to leave priesthood denied-Angel Dreamer Wealth Society D1 Reviews & Insights
Retired bishop in New York state gets married after bid to leave priesthood denied
View Date:2024-12-23 22:48:58
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — An 84-year-old retired bishop of Albany, who has been accused of sexual abuse and has unsuccessfully sought to be removed from the priesthood, said Tuesday he recently married a woman in a civil ceremony.
Emeritus Bishop Howard Hubbard made the surprise announcement during a tumultuous time for the Albany diocese. It filed for bankruptcy this year after a surge of lawsuits from people who say they endured sexual abuse as children, sometimes decades ago.
The current bishop of the upstate New York diocese said it did not consider Hubbard’s marriage to be valid.
Hubbard, who retired in 2014, has acknowledged covering up allegations of abuse by priests, in part to avoid scandal. He has adamantly denied accusations that he abused minors.
Hubbard last fall said he wanted to be laicized, or returned to the lay state, because he could no longer function as a priest due to a U.S. church policy that bars accused priests from ministry. It also would have relieved him of his celibacy obligations.
But his request to the Vatican was rejected in March and he was encouraged to wait patiently while the seven civil lawsuits against him are resolved, Hubbard said in a prepared statement.
“I could be 91 or 92 before these legal matters are concluded,” Hubbard said. “In the meantime, I have fallen in love with a wonderful woman who has helped and cared for me and who believes in me.”
Hubbard said they were married in a civil ceremony in July.
Albany Bishop Edward Scharfenberger said rules against marriage still apply to Hubbard, even though he cannot represent himself as a priest.
“The Church does not acknowledge his marriage as valid,” Scharfenberger said in a letter to the diocese. “He remains a retired Bishop of the Roman Catholic Church and therefore cannot enter into marriage.”
Scharfenberger said he was still processing the “unexpected news.”
The Albany diocese, like others around the state, is dealing with lawsuits dating to when New York temporarily suspended the statute of limitations to give people who say they were victims of childhood sexual abuse the ability to pursue decades-old allegations.
A representative for Hubbard declined to provide further information. Hubbard asked that reporters and others respect his privacy.
“My life on the public stage has come to an end,” he said.
veryGood! (723)
Related
- Wildfire map: Thousands of acres burn near New Jersey-New York border; 1 firefighter dead
- Rise and Shine Because Kylie Jenner Just Shut Down the 2023 Met Gala Red Carpet
- Why Priyanka Chopra Was Very Emotional During Daughter Malti's Latest Milestone
- Kate Spade 24-Hour Flash Deal: Get This $300 Crossbody Bag for Just $75
- Tesla issues 6th Cybertruck recall this year, with over 2,400 vehicles affected
- Priyanka Chopra Shares What Nick Jonas Told Her the Day Daughter Malti Was Born
- Meltdown May Is Around the Corner — Here’s What To Buy To Avoid Yours
- InsideClimate News Wins 2 Agricultural Journalism Awards
- Inter Miami's MLS playoff failure sets stage for Messi's last act, Alexi Lalas says
- Kate Spade 24-Hour Flash Deal: Get This $300 Backpack for Just $96
Ranking
- Why Jersey Shore's Jenni JWoww Farley May Not Marry Her Fiancé Zack Clayton
- Save 36% on the It Cosmetics Buildable, Blendable, Long-Lasting Eyeshadow Sticks
- InsideClimate News Wins 2 Agricultural Journalism Awards
- Kim Kardashian Pokes Fun at Kendall Jenner’s NBA Exes
- Jennifer Lopez Gets Loud in Her First Onstage Appearance Amid Ben Affleck Divorce
- Oregon Ducks Football Star Spencer Webb’s Girlfriend Kelly Kay Recalls Him Dying in Her Arms
- Get $210 Worth of Philosophy Skincare and Perfume for Just $72
- Is Jury Duty's Ronald Gladden Single? He Says...
Recommendation
-
Sister Wives’ Janelle Brown Alleges Ex Kody Made False Claims About Family’s Finances
-
All The Purr-fect Nods To Karl Lagerfeld's Cat Choupette at the Met Gala 2023
-
Maksim and Val Chmerkovskiy Share How Family Struggles Turned Into Incredible Opportunities for Joy
-
A Father-Daughter Incest Case That Ended in Murder: The Haunting Story of Katie Pladl
-
Isiah Pacheco injury updates: When will Chiefs RB return?
-
Wayfair Way Day Sale Last Day to Shop: Your Guide to the Best Deals Including Finds Under $50
-
What Dreams Are Made Of: 21 Secrets About Lizzie McGuire Revealed
-
MasterChef Australia Judge Jock Zonfrillo Dead at 46