Bishop Curry to receive pacemaker to treat irregular heart rhythm

(RNS) — The Episcopal Church’s presiding bishop, Michael Curry, is scheduled to have a pacemaker implanted Friday (March 1) to treat his atrial fibrillation, or irregular heartbeat, the denomination announced Thursday.

The procedure is expected to require an overnight hospital stay. Curry, who has been keeping to a lighter, modified work schedule while dealing with recent health issues, will continue doing so until his medical team releases him for additional duties, the announcement said.

The Episcopal Church Office of Public Affairs asked for continued prayers for Curry, his family and his medical team.

Curry, 70, is in the last year of his nine-year term as the 27^th presiding bishop and primate of the Episcopal Church.

Earlier this month, he authorized Vice President of the House of Bishops Mary Gray-Reeves to carry out select duties on his behalf as he recovers from a Jan. 18 procedure to treat recurring subdural hematomas, or brain bleeds.

Since May 2023, Curry has been receiving medical treatment for internal bleeding and heart conditions. He was hospitalized for internal bleeding in May and August, and in September, surgeons conducted a major surgery to remove his right adrenal gland and a noncancerous attached mass, which had been identified as the source of the bleeding. He was hospitalized from Sept. 20 until Oct. 5 for monitoring.

He had additional surgeries on Dec. 4 to address subdural hematomas resulting from a fall in Syracuse, New York, and on Jan. 6. The Jan. 18 procedure was intended to proactively prevent blood from pooling in the brain.

“I continue to be so thankful for all your prayers, which have been working in tandem with my medical team’s excellent care. I count it a blessing to be in an area with good research hospitals and in a loving church with such faithful, prayerful support,” Curry said in a statement before that surgery.

In 2015, one month into his tenure, Curry was also hospitalized due to a brain bleed caused by a fall on his first day in office.

Last week, Curry announced updates to the denomination’s clergy misconduct protocol that would make it simpler to report misconduct, and to track the progress of internal misconduct complaints against bishops.

Curry is currently himself the subject of an internal clergy misconduct complaint for his response to allegations of emotional abuse made against Bishop Prince Singh, the former bishop of the Dioceses of Eastern and Western Michigan, who resigned from his post Sept. 8.

According to the updated webpage on the denomination’s website, the initial report on the complaint involving Curry was forwarded Sunday to a reference panel, which will meet to determine next steps.