Troubled St. Mark's church is finding some stability after some three years of uncertainty. Retired Bermudian priest Don Moore returned home "rather fortuitously" said Bishop Ewen Ratteray and will be filling in as church pastor until a permanent replacement for Father William Hayward is found.

Father Hayward was suspended this month after three years of controversy over his leadership.

Meanwhile, no progress has been reported with the church's row with the Immigration department over its attempts to hire a rector for St. Paul's in Paget.

Bishop Ewen would not comment on this but The Royal Gazette understands that talks are at a delicate stage.

Immigration refused permission for the church to hire a Canadian instead of an available Bermudian and a controversy erupted when Immigration informed church authorities that expatriate rector Alan Tilson would be arrested if he filled in at St. Paul's.

The news led Bishop Ratteray to threaten to defy the law which he said reminded him of Nazi Germany.