Controversial priest Carl Williams is fighting an attempt to fire him after reports he had been axed as Priest-in-Charge at St. Anne's Anglican Church in Southampton Parish, effective July 1.

He issued a statement through consultant Julian Hall yesterday who said he had received a letter from Saul Froomkin QC, but Mr. Hall claimed it had no legal effect and did not lawfully terminate Father Williams' employment.

Mr. Hall said Father Williams had opted to stay away from St. Anne's Church until his numerous grievances about his professional treatment within the Bermuda Diocese had been sorted.

Mr. Hall went on: "In the face of particularly humiliating and what I have already termed 'un-Christian' treatment of Father Williams by certain individuals and authorities within the Bermuda Diocese, Father Williams has maintained, stoically, the position that these matters should be resolved without the making of harmful public utterances. This may have to change in the light of recent developments and particularly in the light of misleading news reports."

He said a Bishop's Court was the only method which could lawfully sack or discipline a priest who can then appeal to the Archbishop of Canterbury.

"The Bishop's Court proceedings were in fact, and without apparent explanation, aborted and/or discontinued upon the instruction of Bishop Ratteray before it reached any conclusion or indeed heard or considered any representations or evidence concerning Father Williams.

"No negative findings or determinations of any kind have been made against Father Williams by a properly convened or authorized body within the Bermuda Diocese.

"Finally, I am directed to say that Father Williams is a Bermudian priest who is committed to the service of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ within the Anglican Communion.

"He is now actively considering all legal options and will shortly be communicating his position to the appropriate authorities within the Diocese."

Bishop Ratteray retired recently while Rev. Andrew Doughty, who is standing-in, could not be reached for comment. Mr. Froomkin also refused to comment.

Controversy has dogged Father Williams.

In 2003 a row erupted when St. Paul's in Paget overlooked him for the post of rector and tried to appoint a Canadian. When another cleric Father Alan Tilson was preparing to step in to preach Government threatened to arrest him.

Terry Lister, who was Labour and Home Affairs Minister, said at that time that rectors were able to swap pulpits for special occasions, despite a pronouncement that they would need permission to do so.

And he had defended Government's decision not to issue a work permit to a foreign cleric if they continued to overlook Mr. Williams.

It was claimed in a recent Bermuda Sun article that Rev. Williams' relationship with members of St. Anne's Church in Southampton had soured within months of his appointment as priest-in-charge with unhappiness with his management style.

His termination will take effect from July 1, St. Anne's congregation was told in a recent church bulletin.

The Bermuda Sun article said Rev. Carl Williams, who was born in Barbados but now has Bermuda status through marriage, had been working in Trinidad as an assistant priest for six years and returned to Bermuda in 2007.

Since the new row erupted Rev. Williams has done stints preaching at St. Michael's in Sandys.