The Provincial Tribunal has issued its Decision and Order ruling that the question before it concerning the Presentment against Bishop Stewart Ruch III is now moot. The Tribunal lifted the stay order it had previously issued. The Presentment will now be evaluated by a Board of Inquiry as required by the canons.
In June, the College of Bishops and Provincial Council passed an amendment to the Constitution and Canons to clarify the limits of the Provincial Tribunal’s authority. This was done in response to the Tribunal’s issuing of a stay order to the Archbishop and asserting jurisdiction to review the validity of a Presentment before it reaches a trial court. This canonical amendment will go to Provincial Assembly for ratification in June of 2024.
Note: This Presentment, which was signed by three bishops, is distinct from a second Presentment which was filed by priests and lay persons. In August, a Board of Inquiry determined that the second Presentment would go to trial.
The Archbishop’s recent Motions to Reconsider, Vacate, and Dismiss can be found here.
Bishop Ruch’s response to those Motions can be found here.
The Tribunal’s Decision and Order can be found here.
The filings submitted to the Tribunal and the rulings and other actions of the Tribunal can be found here.
