The diocese at the heart of a dispute within the Anglican Church over its decision to appoint an openly gay bishop has apologised for "pain and confusion" caused by the move but reaffirmed support for the homosexual prelate.
Top members of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire voiced their support for gay bishop Gene Robinson a day after Anglican leaders urged North American Episcopalians to ban same-sex marriages and the consecration of gay bishops.
"On behalf of the Diocese of New Hampshire, we acknowledge and regret the pain and confusion caused by the election and consecration of our bishop," six members of the church's standing committee said in a statement posted on the diocese's Web site on Tuesday.
"We now realise more fully that our action, in response to a sincere understanding of God's calling, has caused deep distress for many in our communion," the statement said.
"We affirm the ministry of our bishop and applaud his efforts at reaching out in ways that are sensitive and caring, especially to those who are deeply distressed by his election and consecration."
When Robinson was installed last November as the first openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church -- the U.S. branch of the loosely connected worldwide Anglican Communion -- conservative members warned it might tear apart the 450-year-old Christian faith.
On Monday, the Anglican hierarchy released a report in Britain that said liberals had "broken the bonds of communion" by approving gay unions and by ordaining Robinson. The report asked the liberals, based in Canada and the United States, to apologise for their actions and to promise it would not happen again -- at least for now.
Robinson, a divorced father of two who has lived with his male partner for more than a decade, has not yet commented publicly on the report although he may do so later this week.