From Mr Kieron Wood
Sir, - In relation to the report by Gregg Ryan (
News, 3 May) concerning my story in The Sunday Business
Post about the proposed consecration of the Ven. Leslie
Stevenson as Bishop of Meath & Kildare, there is to my
knowledge no "press campaign against him".
My story reported simply that he would be the first divorced
bishop in the history of the Christian Church in Ireland. It was
Archdeacon Stevenson himself who admitted to me in a statement
that, after the break-up of his first marriage, while serving as
Rector of Donaghadee in Northern Ireland, he had had an
"inappropriate" relationship with an unmarried parishioner.
Mr Ryan reports that "the reaction among clergy and laity in the
diocese has ranged from incredulity to annoyance at what is seen as
outside interference in an episcopal selection." A report on such a
newsworthy topic can hardly be described as "interference". As for
the allegation of "hostile publicity", that, too, is nonsense.
KIERON WOOD
Senior assistant editor
The Sunday Business Post
80 Harcourt Street
Dublin 2, Ireland
