英国：主教辞职 Bishop to step down

 2013年11月3日（All Saints Small Heath），英国埃布斯弗利特教区 古道尔主教在圣公会弥撒礼仪中。

主教辞职 Bishop to step down

（一位英国圣公会主教的辞职声明）

2021.9.3.

大圣额我略（教宗纪念日）

今天早上，兰贝斯宫（Lambeth Palace，亦译兰柏宫，为坎特伯雷大主教公署 —— 编者注）发表声明，宣布乔纳森•古道尔主教（The Rt. Rev. Jonathan Goodall）在担任埃布斯弗利特（Ebbsfleet ）主教八年之后决定辞职。

乔纳森主教说:“我决定辞去埃布斯弗利特主教一职，以便与罗马天主教会完全共融，这是经过长期的祈祷后才做出的，是我一生中最艰难的时期之一。

“几十年来，在圣公会（亦译 圣公宗）团契里的生活塑造和滋养了我作为一名天主教基督徒的门徒身份。这是我第一次领受基督生命和信仰的圣礼恩宠的地方，作为牧师和主教，我已奉献了半生。我将永远珍惜这一切，并为此而心存感激。

“我确信你们大家都相信，我做出这个决定，是为了接受上主现在的召叫和邀请，

而不是对我在圣公会中所知和所为的一切说不，我对圣公会有很大的亏欠。”

“我永远感谢所有这些年来如此慷慨地支持撒辣（乔纳森主教的夫人；Sarah亦译萨拉或莎拉。—— 编者注）和我的人，尤其是埃布斯弗利特主教公署（主教府）的信友和神职人员。自2013年成为主教以来，他们一直是我工作和奉献的重点和欢乐。” 这是一个巨大的荣誉。我盼望将来无论我被召去做什么事，都能为教会服务。

乔纳森主教在圣公会的职分将于 9 月 8 日结束。 坎特伯雷大主教负责推进其继任者的任命。

中译：李海峰，校对：王艾明博士、亚纳博士

原载：埃布斯弗利特主教公署网（The See of Ebbsfleet）

英文原文：

Bishop to step down

3rd September 2021

St Gregory the Great

Bishop Jonathan Goodall’s decision to step down after eight years as Bishop of Ebbsfleet was announced in a statement by Lambeth Palace this morning.

“I have arrived at the decision to step down as Bishop of Ebbsfleet, in order to be received into full communion with the Roman Catholic Church, only after a long period of prayer, which has been among the most testing periods of my life.

“Life in the communion of the Church of England has shaped and nourished my discipleship as a Catholic Christian for many decades.  This is where I first received – and for half my life have ministered, as priest and bishop – the sacramental grace of Christian life and faith.  I shall always treasure this and be thankful for it.

“I trust you all to believe that I have made my decision as a way of saying yes to God’s present call and invitation, and not of saying no to what I have known and experienced in the Church of England, to which I owe such a deep debt.

“I am abidingly grateful to all who have so generously supported Sarah and me in these years, especially the laity and clergy of the See of Ebbsfleet – who have been the focus and joy of my ministry and devotion since becoming bishop in 2013.  It has been an immense privilege.  I look forward to serving the Church in the future in whatever way I may be called to do.

Bishop Jonathan’s ministry in the Church of England will cease on 8 September.  The Archbishop of Canterbury is responsible for carrying forward the appointment of his successor.