THE rural diocese of Bathurst, in New South Wales, has had some
of its bank accounts frozen as it struggles with a $AU36-million
debt.
For several years, the diocese has been trying to overcome
significant debt problems, but attempts to sell assets and merge
some operations with other NSW dioceses in recent years have not
been successful.
The Bishop, the Rt Revd Ian Palmer, told parishioners in a
letter distributed last weekend that discussions with the
Commonwealth Bank were continuing in the wake of the sale of two
church schools earlier this week. The schools - Macquarie Anglican
Grammar School, in Dubbo, and the Orange Anglican Grammar School -
have been bought by the Sydney Anglican Schools Corporation. The
sale will not clear the debt.
Bishop Palmer said in his letter: "[The debt] is large, and we
cannot repay the bank in full." The frozen accounts were not
affecting parishes, he said, but "things like being able to use a
credit card".