A GAY Gwent priest who adopted a teenage boy with his partner has not officiated at services for "several years", a Church in Wales spokesman said today.

The Church in Wales priest became the centre of a furore after the adoption of the boy was revealed at the weekend, fuelling fresh calls for Archbishop of Canterbury designate Dr Rowan Williams to stand down before he takes up his post.

The priest has now also surrendered his licence to officiate after contacting Archbishop of Wales and Bishop of Monmouth Dr Williams as the row unfolded yesterday.

The gay couple, who live in the Monmouth diocese which covers Gwent, are understood to have been together for 22 years.

They adopted the 15-year-old boy, who has severe emotional and learning difficulties, two weeks ago, after caring for him for ten years.

The gay priest is now employed in non Church-related work, the diocese said today.

Monmouth diocesan spokesman Reverend Gregory Cameron said: "The only thing the priest could do was surrender his licence, and the only thing the Archbishop could do was accept it.

"There are two issues here. The first is that this man is a homosexual in a long-term relationship. The second is that he and his partner have adopted a child. People will divide over whether that is a good or bad thing.

"He has surrendered his licence because he publicly declared himself to be in a long-term homosexual relationship."