By Claire Fry
Worcester News
March 7, 2008
http://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/wnnewslatest/display.var.2100157.0.disgraced_vicar_is_still_in_the_parish_magazine.php
A PARISH magazine is still listing a convicted sex offender as the team vicar - despite him being suspended six months ago.
The disgraced Rev Nduna Mpunzi, who was vicar of St Barnabas, Rainbow Hill and Christ Church, Tolladine, Worcester, was found guilty in February of a sex attack on a teenage girl and is currently in custody awaiting sentence.
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| Rev Nduna Mpunzi, who was vicar of St Barnabas. |
However, despite the 61-year-old being suspended from his duties in August 2007, following the allegations, the parish magazine - The Magazine - still has the name of the Rev Mpunzi printed as team vicar on the inside cover, together with his contact details.
Spokesman for the Diocese of Worcester Anni Holden said it was down to an oversight by the editor but stressed he would never work in the parish again.
Miss Holden said: "We are awaiting sentence and once he has been sentenced the appropriate clergy discipline measures will come into being. Until then, we are in the hands of the court. We can't do anything until the court decides."
She said there were different measurers taken depending on sentence, but if he was given custody he would be removed from office.
She said: "He will not be returning to that parish whatever happens. At the moment he is still officially the vicar but in reality he has been suspended.
"The church and the people of the parish have been looked after since he was suspended last year."
A parishioner, who did not wish to be named but who attends church, said there had been no mention of Mpunzi's offences during service, apart from prayers being offered for him.
She said: "There seems to be quite a division in the church about this with people who go. It seems the younger ones are more disappointed with it, possibly because the church was so closed about it.
"There seems to be a feeling of if we don't talk about it then it really hasn't happened'."
Mpunzi was appointed vicar of the parish in 2004 having previously been priest-in-charge of St Aidan, Shobnall, in the Lichfield diocese.
His first religious post was as a clerk at Kimberley Cathedral, in the South African diamond mine city.
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