BEDE PARRY CONFESSION RELEASED

To attempt to head off questions like, 'Why do you continue to bring up this matter? Why are you out to get Bishop Katharine?', I add a brief preamble to this post in which I include Bede Parry's confession in its entirety.

I continue to talk about the business of Bede Parry, a former Benedictine monk in the Roman Catholic Church, who was admitted into the priesthood of the Episcopal Church by Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, despite his history of abuse of minors, because the story is not going away. Bede Parry's confession has now been released. A member of SNAP: (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests) sent me the links to the websites of clergy abuse survivor Patrick Marker who runs a website called Behind the Pine Curtain and to SNAP, both of which link to or post the text of Parry's confession. Websites run by persons who are no friends of the Episcopal Church have picked up the story.

Bishop Katharine was my favorite amongst the candidates for the position of Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church. I was thrilled when she was elected, and I pray for her and wish her well from my heart. I have no reason in the world to to wish her ill, but, as I see it, silence is no longer an option for Bishop Katharine on the matter of Bede Parry. I wish to hear from her, not from surrogates, why she admitted Bede Parry into the priesthood of the Episcopal Church despite his history of abuse of minors. What did Bishop Katharine know, and when did she know it? (Thank you, Senator Howard Baker, for the simplicity of your questions from back in the days of Watergate.)

From Behind the Pine Curtain:

Statement of Bede Parry
May 7, 2011
All-Saints Episcopal Church – Las Vegas, Nevada

My name is Bede Parry and I currently reside in Las Vegas, Nevada. In November of 2010, I was contacted by and subsequently met on two occasions with Patrick Marker regarding my knowledge of misconduct by personnel at Saint John’s Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota.

In my meetings with Mr. Marker in November of 2010, and in several telephone and email conversations since, we have discussed issues related to my background, inappropriate contact by members of the clergy (at Saint John’s and elsewhere, including my own), and a mutual desire to create a safe environment for children and vulnerable adults.

I have agreed to provide details of my background, as follows:

In 1973, I joined Conception Abbey, a Benedictine monastic community located in Missouri. Between 1974 and 1979, I was involved in three relationships that included sexual contact, and were thus inappropriate for a monastic. In 1979, I admitted my misconduct to Abbot Jerome Hanus of Conception Abbey. Later in 1979, I enrolled in the three-year School of Theology program at Saint John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota.

In 1981, a student at Saint John’s University made allegations of sexual misconduct against me. I was asked to attend a meeting with [St. John's Victim #1], the student with whom I had indeed engaged in inappropriate sexual contact, Fr. Roman Paur and perhaps one other member of the Saint John’s community. During the meeting, I apologized for my inappropriate conduct and agreed to have no further contact with [St. John's Victim #1].

Immediately after the meeting with Roman Paur, I phoned Abbot Jerome Hanus at Conception Abbey and made him aware of my misconduct. After a discussion about the misconduct, Abbot Jerome simply said, “Don’t do it again.”

[Video: Additional Comments Regarding Abbot Hanus... Here]

A few days after the meeting with Roman Paur, I met for tea with Saint John’s Abbot Jerome Theisen. Abbot Theisen said that he had spoken to Abbot Hanus about my conduct. There was an understanding, by all parties, that I would not do it again. I also agreed to get some counseling. I counseled with Fr. Finian McDonald for several weeks then met with a counselor in St. Cloud, Minnesota for additional therapy.

While attending the School of Theology, I lived with the other monks at Saint John’s. There was an awareness of my misconduct among the other monks. In addition to Fr. Roman Paur and Fr. Finian McDonald, Fr. Rene McGraw also knew details of my misconduct. I recall that other monks commented or joked about my misconduct in a light-hearted, but nonetheless inappropriate, manner.

I completed the School of Theology program in 1982 and returned to Conception Abbey that summer. I was ordained on April 16, 1983. Abbot Jerome Hanus reminded me at the time of my ordination that I would need to be “especially observant” of my vow of celibacy.

In the summer of 1987, Conception Abbey hosted a choir camp. I had been involved with the Abbey Boy Choir as organist, director, or both, for several years. During the camp, I had inappropriate sexual contact in my living quarters with [John Doe 181], a member of the Abbey Boy Choir.

My misconduct with [John Doe 181] was reported to the leadership at Conception Abbey the same day. At a meeting with [John Doe 181’s parents] and the Abbot, I admitted to the misconduct and apologized for my behavior.

Soon after the incident with [John Doe 181], I left Conception Abbey for Jemez Springs, New Mexico. Abbot Jerome Hanus drove me to the airport. I took part in a three-month program at the Servants of the Paraclete facilities.

I have since recognized that I may have acted inappropriately with at least one other member of the Abbey Boy Choir.

Late in 1987, I finished the Paraclete program and accepted a job, as choirmaster and organist, at St. Timothy Lutheran Church in Albuquerque. I continued to receive therapy from a female counselor, Margaret, in Santa Fe.

I am aware that in 1990, someone from Conception Abbey asked [John Doe 181’s parents] about my potential return to the area. I am unaware of the details of the conversation but was told by Abbot James Jones that it would “not be wise” for me to return to Conception Abbey.

In 1995, Fr. Anthony Gorman from Saint John’s Abbey sent [St. John's Victim #1's] obituary to me. I do not know how Fr. Gorman knew to contact me, or the nature of Fr. Gorman’s relationship with [St. John's Victim #1].

In 2000, I was recruited by Mary Bredlau to work at All-Saints Episcopal Church in Las Vegas.

Also in 2000, I considered joining the Prince of Peace monastery in Riverside, California. Prince of Peace had me undergo a series of psychological tests. After the testing, Prince of Peace’s Abbot Charles Wright informed me I was no longer a candidate. The psychological evaluation had determined that I had a proclivity to reoffend with minors. Abbot Wright called Conception Abbey’s Abbot Gregory Polan with this information.

Abbot Polan would later share the information with Robert Stoeckig from the Catholic Diocese of Las Vegas, Episcopal Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori and the human resources department at Mercy Ambulance in Las Vegas. Bishop Daniel Walsh, Monsignor Ben Franzinelli, Bishop Joseph Pepe, Archbishop Robert Sanchez and Rev. Bob Nelson were also made aware of my previous misconduct.

In 2002, I pursued a cooperative dismissal from the Catholic Church. Fr. Dan Ward, a canon lawyer from Saint John’s Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota, prepared the documents.

I have only recently begun to understand how my misconduct has affected my victims.

Everything that I have done in my life has been with me, and haunting me, every day. I dream about it. I think about it. Not a day passes when I do not regret my conduct. I am truly sorry.

Bede Parry
May 7, 2011

Thus far, Bishop Katharine has delegated the task of commentary to the present bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Nevada, Dan Edwards. Perhaps the PB is receiving advice from her attorney not to comment, but to pass the buck for commentary to a person who was not involved in the reception of Parry into the church as a priest is not satisfactory.

Bishop of Nevada Bishop Edwards posted a statement on the website of the Diocese of Nevada, from which I quote below:

How did the Diocese of Nevada decide to ordain Bede Parry to the priesthood? In the Episcopal Church it is not possible for a bishop, acting alone, to receive a priest from another denomination. It was a multi-level decision which meticulously followed the applicable canons. Title III Canon 11 Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church (2,000). When Fr. Bede applied to be received as an Episcopal priest, that request had to be judged by several levels of church governance – each with both clergy and lay people participating in the decision. The process of considering his application began in 2002 culminating in his being received two years later in October, 2004. The Commission on Ministry (made up of both clergy and laity) knew everything the bishop knew about Bede Parry. These good people did not decide to put children at risk. By accepting Fr. Bede as a priest, they were determining that he was not a threat to children.

Why did they decide he was not a threat? The Commission on Ministry knew of the incident of “inappropriate touching” that allegedly occurred with a young man in his late teens. That incident was not covered up. It was reported to the police who did not choose to prosecute the case. However, Fr. Bede did leave his monastery and receive intensive psychotherapy.

How did Bede Parry's history of abuse not come to light during the vetting process by the Episcopal Diocese of Nevada?

If the good people of Nevada decided that Parry was not a threat to children, why did the terms of Parry's service include the stipulation that he not work with children? Who monitored Bede Parry 24/7?

We need answers to a good many questions which have thus far remained unanswered, and we need to hear from Bishop Katharine herself in the matter. The questions about the process for admission of Bede Parry to the Episcopal priesthood concern not just the Presiding Bishop. The Episcopal Church is my church, too, and I love my church. The continuing silence reflects on all of us in the church, at least those of us who pay attention. We want to believe that all was done properly and in order, and perhaps it was, but the lack of transparency and the silence of the person who could shed light on the process cause doubts. We were promised transparency with regard to abuse in the church, and we do not have transparency in the matter of Bede Parry.

Jim Naughton at The Lead also posted on the Bede Parry confession.