How often have you heard church peeps say, “We’re not worried about child protection issues. After all, we’re a small church, everyone knows everyone, and we’d immediately know if something was wrong?” If you’re like many Episcopalians, you’ve heard this before. That’s particularly the case as you contemplate a not-so-fun
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An open letter to the Diocese of Alabama: Why are child sex offenders allowed in active ministry?
Dear members of the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama: As you know, the Rev. Rob Morpeth recently announced he is retiring. As a result, the diocese is now searching for a new Canon for Mission Support. These developments create an inflection point in which you must answer a difficult question in the coming days. Specifically, why
Continue readingFederal bankruptcy law is toxic for child sex abuse victims
Reprinted by permission of author Marci A. Hamilton, Esq. Original here. This month, the dioceses of Albany and Oakland publicly acknowledged that they may soon file for bankruptcy protection. Last month, the diocese of Santa Rosa, California, actually took that step. A total of 31 Catholic entities are in or
Continue readingSpotlight on abuse: Episcopal choirmaster Bruce McInnes
The late Bruce McInnis abused eight known boys during his tenure with Grace Episcopal Church and School, yet he faced almost no consequences for his actions. Nor was he ever charged with criminal child sex abuse. Read about this all-too-common scenario in the Episcopal church.
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