In two separate but concurrent actions, Bishop Heather Cook resigned today as Bishop Suffragan of Maryland and has reached “an accord” which means that she may no longer function as an ordained person in the Episcopal Church.
In the first action, the Diocese of Maryland announced today that Bishop Sutton and the Standing Committee have accepted Heather Cook’s resignation as Bishop Suffragan of the Diocese.
The Right Rev. Eugene Taylor Sutton and the Standing Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland today announced the acceptance of the resignation of Heather E. Cook as bishop suffragan of the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland. This means that Cook is no longer employed by the diocese. The acceptance of Cook’s resignation is independent of any Title IV disciplinary action taken by the Episcopal Church.
The Episcopal Diocese of Maryland announced Friday it has accepted the resignation of Bishop Heather Cook.
The statement said Cook is no longer employed by the diocese and that her resignation is independent of any disciplinary action the diocese could take.
The diocese sought Cook’s resignation in January after she was charged in the death of bicyclist Thomas Palermo. A trial date is set for June 4.
Prosecutors have said they have evidence that Cook did not apply the brakes on her Subaru during the crash that killed Palermo in December. Cook’s blood-alcohol content was 0.22 — nearly three times the legal limit — and she was texting right before the crash, prosecutors said.
In a related but separate action, the Presiding Bishop’s office announced today that an accord has been reached with Bishop Heather Cook, who will no longer be allowed function as an ordained person in the Episcopal Church. An “accord” means that Cook has agreed to the terms of her deposition under the terms of Title IV and will forgo an ecclestiastical trial.
Episcopal Church Office of Public Affairs:
The office of Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori has released information concerning Heather Cook of the Diocese of Maryland.
Pursuant to Title IV of the Canons of The Episcopal Church, the Presiding Bishop and Bishop Cook have reached an Accord. Under the terms of the Accord, Bishop Cook will receive a Sentence of Deposition, pursuant to which she shall be “deprived of the right to exercise the gifts and spiritual authority of God’s word and sacraments conferred at ordination.”
As such, Cook will no longer function as an ordained person in The Episcopal Church.
The Accord resolves all ecclesiastical disciplinary matters involving Cook.
This Accord is separate from any resolution of employment matters involving Cook and the Diocese of Maryland as well as from criminal matters pending in the secular courts.
Cook was charged with manslaughter, texting while driving, and driving under the influence in the fatal crash that killed cyclist Thomas Palermo by Maryland’s state’s attorney Marilyn J. Mosby.
Posted by Andrew Gerns