Under Fire Priest Vows to Clear His Name

New Zealand Herald
May 5, 2016

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11634851

Dr Godfrey was suspended for a year from his job as a priest at the Diocese of Waiapu. Photo / Warren Buckland

Under fire dean of Napier Cathedral, Dr Michael Godfrey, has denied accusations of a long term affair with an underage girl, as he vowed to clear his name.

Dr Godfrey was suspended for a year from his job as a priest at the Diocese of Waiapu after revelations of two extra marital affairs he had 25 years ago were made public yesterday.

The Diocese of Waiapu said Dr Godfrey's conduct had fallen short of that expected of an Anglican priest, adding that it was a "historic matter of behaviour" related to church law.

In an interview with Rachel Smalley of Newstalk ZB, Dr Godfrey said the 25-year-old issue had resurfaced because the Royal Commission in Australia, who were looking into institutional responses to child abuse, had been given his name. It was later thrown out, he said.

"They look at it and said look it is immoral but we are not moral judges, it is not criminal, it is not predatory flick past it. The church picked it up and said look it is a lapse in moral standards.

"[Then] the story changed, I was actually accused of having a long term affair with an underage girl which is not true, the dates were wrong, the places were wrong, somewhere there were some Chinese whispers and it all went wrong."

He said the women he had affairs with were both consenting adults of legal age.

"I would never have done anything if that hadn't have been the case."