From The Lead:
The Episcopal bishop of the Erie-based Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania is reaching out to women who may have been sexually abused in their childhoods by one of his deceased predecessors, asking them to contact him confidentially as part of his effort to “seek healing and reconciliation for those who have been harmed.”
In a pastoral letter read today after services in the diocese’s 34 churches, the Rt. Rev, Sean Rowe, 35, said he has learned of four credible allegations of sexual abuse committed by Donald Davis, who was bishop of the diocese from 1974 to 1991. The four cases occurred in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Rowe said one of the victims contacted him in late March, and that he immediately began an investigation that unearthed information on three previous cases.
“Sexual abuse in any form is abhorrent in any community, and as your bishop, I feel particular pain that one of my predecessors betrayed the trust and innocence of children,” Rowe said. “On behalf of the church, I offer an abject apology to Bishop Davis’ victims, their families, and everyone whose trust in the church has been violated, and I ask for your forgiveness.”
Some of the cases had been known to some national church authorities, but had never been made public.
Sad news, indeed, of the cases of abuse by a bishop (no less!) of the Episcopal Church. And that the abuse was made not public must be called what it is - a cover-up.
Read the text of Bishop Rowe's pastoral letter at The Lead. Here is an excerpt:
I cannot undo the grievous wrongs that Bishop Davis has done, nor take away the pain of his victims, but I can do my best to ensure that, from now on, this diocese will tell the truth and seek healing and reconciliation for those who have been harmed. That is why I am making this situation public and asking anyone else who may have been abused by Bishop Davis to come forward, publicly or confidentially, to me. The existence of four victims makes it possible that there are others, and we are bound as Christians to seek their healing. We are working closely with the Office of the Presiding Bishop to do so. I have talked directly with Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, and she supports my decision to speak with you about these matters.
Bishop Rowe does the right thing to bring the matter into the light and to offer healing and reconciliation to those who were abused.
Absolutely. The point is that Pedophiles aren't necessarily Gay or Straight and must be exposed and prosecuted for their crimes against children/underage adults NO MATTER WHAT SEXUAL ORIENTATION...it's even MORE IMPORTANT that extremists aka uninformed Bishops/Clergy in Africa/beyond start paying attention to THEIR OWN REAL PROBLEMS of covert sexual abuse and QUIT manufacturing fear tactics and vile notions against LGBT Christians as some kind of child-violating GROUP! This disgusting ignorant thinking/beliving also is discharged from the mouth of the head of State of the Vatican (and no doubt swirls in the head of the pope)...these old fools instigate crimes of hate with their uninformed potshots against other Christians...isn't it time these deadly instigators of lies stand up and tell the truth like Bishop Rowe? I think so (and the Archbishop of York would be far more manly if he addressed the REAL sexual distortions in his native Uganda rather than ignore the whole explosive degrading of LGBT people).
ReplyDeleteIt's easy to seperate RESPONSIBLE accountability from SHABBY and COWARDLY irresponsible leadership at The Anglican Communion.
Unfortunately, Leonardo, the point for a lot of loud-mouthed people - among them people currently thinking of "swimming the Tiber (as the silly, camp expression has it), to the woman-free purity of Rome - will be that pedophiles are Episcopalian.
ReplyDeleteBecause of all I've written about the pedophiles in the RCC, I thought I should acknowledge the new accusations surfacing in TEC, but, at the same time, point out Bp. Rowe's exemplary manner of handling the matter.
ReplyDeleteHad all authorities in all churches had been as forthright as Bp. Rowe from the beginning, there would have been a far smaller number of children abused.
to the woman-free purity of Rome - will be that pedophiles are Episcopalian." Lapin
ReplyDeleteThat's not even near close the publicity and public awareness at hand...we've just spent YEARS reviewing the vile sexual antics of Roman Catholic Priests and recently BISHOPS too...clearly these recent revelations were avoided/hidden and covered in deflecting deceit (even by his Popeness) and I hardly think "swimming" anywhere will change the reality of the outright telling of LIES as opposed to "coming clean!" Something about honesty, it stands on it's own merits (mostly) without contrived explanations that make "matters" far worse.
Let the loud-mouthed people say what they will say. In the end, it won't matter what they say.
ReplyDeleteGood for Bishop Rowe. Agreed that his manner of handling this is exemplary. The reason for that though, it seems to me, is that his focus is overwhelmingly on the victims and the damage done to them. Hence the deeply-felt apology. I've yet to hear anything coming out of the Vatican that shows they grasp this aspect of it. Their whole focus seems to be on the reputation of the church and how they can protect that.
ReplyDeleteAs soon as he found out, Bishop Rowe didn't have to ask---oh, say, a potentate across the sea?---to make all this public.
ReplyDelete"Sunlight is the best disinfectant"
JCF, your quote says it all.
ReplyDeleteProud of our baby bishop.
ReplyDeletePiskie, you're right to be proud.
ReplyDelete