Deputies Give Consent to Central Ecuador Bishop

http://www.livingchurch.org/news/news-updates/2009/7/13/deputies-continue-debate-on-central-ecuador-election

[The Living Church] 14 July 2009--The House of Deputies spent an extended session in debate before deciding to grant consent to the election of the Rev. Luis Fernando Ruiz Restrepo as Bishop of Central Ecuador.

Fr. Restrepo was elected March 17 by the House of Bishops after the Rt. Rev Wilfrido Ramos, provisional Bishop of Central Ecuador, declared a deadlock after one ballot had been cast at the special electing convention in February.

Opinions on whether Fr. Restrepo should be consecrated diverged widely. Few people questioned his credentials for the job or challenged that the electoral process conformed for the most part with the constitution and canons of the diocese and General Convention. Nevertheless some felt the leadership was in too much of a hurry to install someone before the diocese itself had achieved the necessary degree of consensus for Fr. Restrepo to inspire the trust of the people over whom he is supposed to have oversight.

“This is not a rejecting of the ministry of a person, but the process,” said one deputy. “If the standing committee does not want this person as bishop it would be uncanonical for the consecration to go forward. It would be out of order.”

What we may be witnessing is the beginning of a break between a segment of the Diocese of Central Ecuador and the General Convention.