Tac Would Welcome Back Peter Slipper As a Priest

The Cathnews
October 10, 2012

http://www.cathnews.com/article.aspx?aeid=33505


Despite revelations of coarsely worded text messages by Peter Slipper, a leading member of his church says he would be welcomed back as a priest, reports PerthNow.

Mr Slipper was ordained as a priest of the Traditional Anglican Communion in 2008.

The TAC is a legitimate, international Anglican alliance, often described as a breakaway group but seeking, above all, reunification with the Vatican in respect of the 16th century split with the Catholic Church.

The church's Archbishop John Hepworth said his friend was facing his darkest days in the wake of "grotty" sexual harassment allegations.

Archbishop Hepworth, who is a former priest in the standard Anglican and Catholic churches, ordained Mr Slipper.

"Peter's life has unravelled in this in an almost complete way at a time when he was close to what he had aspired to do in parliamentary and public life," he said yesterday.

"It's always more difficult to fall from a big height than a lesser height."

Despite the nature of the text messages, revealed in court documents in the harassment case against Mr Slipper, and the nature of other allegations, Archbishop Hepworth said his friend could still pursue a life as a fully functional priest.