Retired bishop in New York state gets married after bid to leave priesthood denied

By MICHAEL HILL
Associated Press

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — An 84-year-old retired bishop of Albany says he recently married a woman in a civil ceremony. Emeritus Bishop Howard Hubbard last fall said he wanted to be returned to the lay state because he could no longer function as a priest due to a U.S. church policy that bars priests accused of abuse from ministry. Hubbard said Tuesday that his request was denied in March. He also says he fell in love with a woman and that they were married in July. The current bishop of the upstate New York diocese says it did not consider Hubbard’s marriage to be valid.