Archbishop resigns over sexual misconduct

By Sue Careless

Mark MacDonald has resigned as National Indigenous Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Canada and has relinquished his exercise of ordained ministry after acknowledging allegations of sexual misconduct.

The resignation comes after an independent investigation. The church offered no details of the nature, place or timing of the allegations. Joe Vecsi, director of communications for the ACoC said the denomination does not know who the complainant is but that the accusations are not criminal.

In a pastoral letter to her church, Primate Linda Nicholls said MacDonald had acknowledged the sexual misconduct. His resignation took effect April 20, in accordance with Canon XIX on Relinquishment or Abandonment of the Ministry. The Primate confirmed that there is no criminal allegation.

She also appointed Bishop Sydney Black to serve as Interim National Indigenous Bishop. Black is the Indigenous Bishop of Treaty 7 Territory within the Diocese of Calgary.

MacDonald, 68, was named the church’s first National Indigenous bishop in 2007, a post which entrusted him with the oversight of pastoral care to approximately 225 Indigenous congregations, most of them on reserves. In 2019, he was elevated to Archbishop.

MacDonald is married to Virginia Sha Lynn and together they have three children.

MacDonald’s departure came just three days after Easter. Moreover, he was to be an important part of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s visit to Canada April 29-May 3, that is to highlight the church’s desire for reconciliation with Canada’s Indigenous people. MacDonald had arranged for Justin Welby to meet with Indigenous leaders and residential school survivors.

Vecsi said in a press release, “We deal promptly, seriously and systematically with all complaints of sexual misconduct” and want to ensure “those who hold positions of trust or power in the church do not take advantage of, or abuse that trust.”

In her pastoral letter dated Apr. 20, Primate Nicholls, wrote:

“This is devastating news. The sense of betrayal is deep and profound when leaders fail to live up to the standards we expect and the boundaries we set.

“First and most importantly, our prayers must be for the complainant whose life has been affected by Mark’s actions. The betrayal of trust by someone in such a prominent role of leadership will require a long road of healing and our constant prayers.

“Also remember Mark and his family in prayer as they face the consequences of his actions that will affect every member.

“The ripple effects of this misconduct will be felt throughout the Church both in Canada and internationally, but most especially within the Sacred Circle and Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples. We mourn with them. [Sacred Circle is a national gathering of Indigenous Anglicans.]

“I trust that the good work that the Sacred Circle has initiated will continue to deepen and grow. On an interim basis I have asked Bishop Sidney Black to serve as Interim National Indigenous Bishop to give counsel and oversight to the work of Indigenous ministries. Bishop Sidney and the Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples will need the prayers of the whole Church as they discern the next steps in confirming the Covenant and Our Way of Life documents.

“We have just lived another Holy Week in which the pain and brokenness of the world was taken up on the cross. Today we hold the broken lives and wounds of our Church before that cross and wait in longing for the healing and new life that God promises through Jesus Christ by faith.

“We pray for God’s grace for healing and comfort for all.”

MacDonald is originally from Duluth, Minnesota and can trace his Indigenous ancestry through both his mother and father. He is a “non-status Indian,” a term which in Canada refers to any First Nations person who for whatever reason is not registered with the federal government, or is not registered to a band which signed a treaty with the Crown.

A graduate of Wycliffe College at the University of Toronto, MacDonald ministered first as a priest in Mississauga, Ontario. He later served with the Episcopal Church as the assistant bishop of the Navajoland Area Mission covering parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah and then as the Bishop of Alaska for ten years (1997 to 2007).

Since 2013, he has also been World Council of Churches President for North America.

On April 19, MacDonald wrote a letter addressed to “the Indigenous Peoples of the Anglican Church of Canada” in which he said in part:

“I will now return to the Land and, under wise spiritual guidance, live my life in penitence with, I hope and pray, the discipline of the Gospel.  I will be connected to you by prayer and spirit, moving forward….

“Despite my strong hope and faith that you will do better and best without me, I am sad beyond my words to express that this will cause many of your (sic) pain.  With the grace you have given me, this is not what you deserved.  Though I know many will be angry, I fear even more that this will lead to discouragement.  No human being is worth that.

“At some point in time in the future, if God is so gracious, I will approach some of our elders for their guidance and discipline over what has happened…. In the meantime, please pray for my dear family, pray for my forgiveness – if you can – and pray for Sacred Circle that it becomes what it is meant to be.”

MacDonald was not the first ACoC bishop to resign and leave holy orders after admitting to allegations of sexual misconduct.

Lincoln McKoen, who for a year had been Bishop of the Territory of the People, a diocese in British Columbia, resigned last June from episcopal ministry and left holy orders after allegations, which he admitted were “well founded,” that he “sent inappropriate sexualized electronic communications to an adult person” with whom he had a pastoral relationship.

Several bishops wrote to their flocks about MacDonald’s resignation. Here are just two. Michael Oulton, Bishop of Ontario, wrote:

“This news will be devastating to many within the Indigenous Church as well as the Church across Canada and globally. Archbishop Mark was deeply engaged in the concerns and aspirations of Indigenous peoples both in Canada, North America and the world.

“I would humbly ask you to uphold in prayer all who are affected by this situation, the person who brought the complaint forward, for the healing and strengthening power of the Spirit, for Archbishop Mark during his time of acknowledgment and repentance, for his family, our Primate Linda and all those who will experience grief this day and in the days to come.

“May the comforting presence of the Spirit be with all who live with the brokenness and frailty of an imperfect world and may we recommit ourselves to the ongoing work of ensuring that our places of worship are sanctuaries of safety, peace and hope for all who enter in.”

Michael Hawkins, Bishop of Saskatchewan, posted on Facebook: “I am heartbroken as I share this news. Please pray for all victims of sexual exploitation, misconduct and abuse by those in authority in the Church. Pray especially for our Indigenous sisters and brothers who feel a unique sense of disappointment and betrayal and in particular for our Residential School Survivors. This is painful news.”    TAP