Episcopal Diocese of New York and Title IV intake officer Alison Quin again refuse to follow mandatory provisions of Title IV

The Episcopal Diocese of New York (DioNY) is again refusing to follow the express provisions of Title IV of the clergy disciplinary canons in a series of complaints filed against Carl Turner, the corrupt rector of St. Thomas Church Fifth Avenue (STC).

The Diocese’s decision follows an appeal by Anglican Watch of Title IV intake officer Alison Quin’s decision to dismiss our complaint against Turner for telling parishioners that the plaintiff in a defamation and sexual assault lawsuit withdrew the lawsuit and that the nonsuit did not involve payment of a settlement by the parties or any third party.

To be clear, the parties can stipulate whatever they want as part of a settlement. Contractual provisions, however, have zero bearing on the truth or falsity of claims made to parishioners by a priest. Moreover, we want to be absolutely clear: The fact is that, Andrew W, a former parishioner and plaintiff in the matter, withdrew the lawsuit following payment of a six-figure settlement by the Church Pension Group (CPG), the church’s captive insurance carrier. The lawsuit did not name CPG as a defendant.

Thus, the statement is a lie, regardless of any legal stipulation. Moreover, it is just one of a series of fabrications by Turner, including that the Plaintiff had made terroristic threats against the church.

Equally problematic is that, under the express provisions of Title IV, neither the intake officer nor the reference panel has any fact-finding authority in the process. That includes assessing whether the complaint is credible. Further, the church’s Title IV training materials deal with these issues directly, stating that the intake officer “must” assume the matter complained of to be true.

To be clear: We raised these precise issues in writing with the DioNY Disciplinary Board. And, even if, arguendo, a legal stipulation could alter the truth or falsity of a priest’s statements about a parishioner, intake officer Alison Quin acted outside her authority in assessing the truth or falsity of the complaint. (Quin’s decision to appoint herself as the arbiter of factual accuracy in Title IV matters, it should be noted, is what got DIoNY sued in the first place. We’d have thought that, by know, she’d catch on.)

Thus, DioNY, its Disciplinary Board, Board Chairperson Carol Williams, intake officer Alison Quin, and Bishop Allen Shin (who is personally overseeing the Title IV proceedings in this matter) all share responsibility for their knowingly corrupt handling of this case.

We also note that Turner continues to try to discredit the plaintiff in this case, including by falsely portraying him as a continuing threat to the church. These actions follow Turner’s fabrications to Bishop Matthew Heyd, which led to the lawsuit against both STC and DioNY.

Despite this, there have been no meaningful disciplinary repercussions for Turner, who continues to hang out in his $8 million church-owned condo, even as he brings discredit on the church via his lies and deceit.

To paraphrase a famous saying from Maya Angelou:

By the tenth time someone shows you who they are, you damned well better believe them.

And in this case, it’s painfully clear that DioNY is, at every level, both knowingly corrupt and spectacularly incompetent. Anyone looking for an environment marked by Christian conduct would be well advised to steer clear of this goshawful train wreck of a diocese.

A copy of the decision in our appeal and the supporting stipulation.