Saying Goodbye to the Molloys
By Sue Careless
THE ANGLICAN PLANET’S Editor-in-Chief is leaving Canada to serve in the Church of England.
The Rev’d C. Peter Molloy announced that in late September he will begin serving as priest in the parish of Buxted and Hadlow Down in the Diocese of Chichester.
Molloy, along with Fr. David Harris, now of St. Giles, Reading, UK, and freelance journalist Sue Careless founded The Anglican Planet in 2005.
Since Harris’ move to England in 2011, Molloy has been alone at the helm of the independent paper. Sharon Dewey Hetke, TAP’s Assistant Editor, has agreed to act as Interim Editor-in-Chief until a new one is appointed.
“We are looking forward to serving in the Church of England. We have spent a lot of time visiting and studying in England over the years and when this opportunity came up, we were delighted,” said Molloy. “It is, of course, not without regret. Having served in the Canadian Church for 20 years, we are very much invested, and will miss the saints in Canada, and the particular quality of Canadian Anglicanism, which is unique.”
The publication, which covers Anglicanism and Christianity across Canada and around the world, is not the mouthpiece of any specific denomination. Michael Hawkins, Bishop of Saskatchewan, wrote:
“The Anglican Planet has provided a fresh perspective in the reporting of Anglican church news in Canada and despite how threatening many found the mere idea of truly independent church journalism in Canada, Pete has maintained a positive and devotional tone that has made the Planet a gift to Anglicans across the theological spectrum.”
Many thought the paper would not survive past two or three issues yet this is the publication’s 114th issue. And while many Christian news publications have ceased print copies and switched to online only, TAP continues to maintain both an online and a print presence.
Molloy says, “We started TAP as a way of creating community amongst the scattered orthodox Anglicans across the country who were feeling disenfranchised from their local parishes or dioceses. We wanted to create a way of binding us together with a biblical, historic and catholic vision of Anglicanism. We have of course had a great deal of fun over the years, and gotten into the odd spot of trouble, but it has really been a great opportunity. I will miss it, but it has been 15 years and I am ready to hand it over.”
In 2015 Molloy was named an Honourary Alumnus of Wycliffe College “for contribution to Anglicanism in Canada.” The same year he was appointed a Visiting Scholar at Pusey House at St. Cross College in Oxford.
Born and raised on a farm in the Ottawa Valley, Molloy attended Carleton University where he graduated in history and economics. He then studied law at the University of British Columbia and Theology at Regent College in Vancouver. It was there that he met his wife Ann in 1997. She had just graduated with a degree in literature from Barnard College, and had come to study theology and literature at Regent.
During his time at Regent, Molloy served as an intern at St. John’s (Shaughnessy) and remembers being “quite startled and tongue-tied leading my first service of Morning Prayer because Dr. Packer showed up to preach—but he was such a generous and encouraging man.”
In the summer of 1999, Molloy was a youth evangelist in Dawson City, Yukon. He was ordained a deacon in 2000 and a priest the following year. He then served in parishes in the Dioceses of Saskatchewan and Ontario, and more recently in the Anglican Network in Canada. In 2012 he was nominated for Bishop of Qu’Appelle.
It was while serving in Saskatchewan that Molloy became close friends with both Harris and Dewey Hetke so that their working relationship later on TAP was a natural fit.
Tim Perry, Theological Editor at TAP said of Molloy: “It has been my privilege to have Peter as a co-labourer at The Anglican Planet, a companion in ministry, and friend for almost a decade. I am sorry that an ocean will now separate us, but am thankful for the joy and challenges his friendship has provided and will continue to provide.”
“The Anglican Planet will miss Pete’s wit and theological insight–gifts he shared generously with Canadian Anglicans,” said Dewey Hetke. “I wish him, Ann and Simeon all the best, and I know their gifts of friendship and hospitality will bless the parish they will serve. Pete’s is a hard act to follow, even for a short time, but I look forward to leading TAP during this time of transition.”
Ann Molloy remembers chasing Simeon when he was two through all the castles in Southern England. They are both looking forward to exploring them again at a less hectic pace. Now eight, Simeon has been diligently studying a road atlas and plotting his trip to Legoland UK.
“I pray that a new editor is appointed with fresh energy and vision,” said Molloy. “Because those same Anglicans are still out there who need to be encouraged and reminded that the local, anemic and increasingly heterodox version of Anglicanism is not all there is. There is a lot of life in Anglicanism across Canada and around the world, and I hope that TAP will continue to communicate that.” TAP
