Hey-La, Hey-La, the Bishop's Back

Bishop Gene Robinson -- the openly gay Episcopal prelate who last month announced that he had entered alcohol rehab -- has returned to work.

"He is going to kind of ease back in to things," Robinson spokesman Mike Barwell said Tuesday.

The New Hampshire bishop returned from treatment last week and came into the office Monday for the first time in a month. Barwell said Robinson was catching up with work and was not granting interviews.

"We are going to keep a low profile," he said. The Diocese of New Hampshire planned an announcement on its Web site [today].

In some quarters, reaction to Robinson's treatment for what he called "an increasing dependence on alcohol" was quite similar to that of maggots greeting fresh roadkill.

Here's hoping their good wishes on his return to work and ministry are as emphatic.... But for some reason, I doubt that'll be coming.

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