Bishop Denies Suspending Priest

By Michael O'Malley
Columbus Dispatch
June 1, 2012

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/faith_and_values/2012/06/01/bishop-denies-suspending-priest.html

Bishop Richard Lennon of the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland said in a letter yesterday that he has not suspended the Rev. Robert Marrone from his ministry, despite what Marrone told his breakaway congregation this week.

Lennon, writing to priests and deacons, said that on May 22, he met with Marrone to encourage him to remove himself as pastor of the Community of St. Peter and to reconcile with the Catholic Church. The bishop said he gave Marrone seven days to respond.

Although Marrone responded that he would not leave his congregation, Lennon said in his letter that he has not suspended the priest. Instead, the bishop wrote, he has "begun an investigation to determine whether a canonical penalty is to be imposed."

Marrone said yesterday that he still believes, according to what the bishop told him during their meeting last week, that he was suspended. He added that he was troubled and puzzled by the bishop's denial.