One of the things the Episcopal Church likes to loudly — and often falsely — proclaim is that it is a democracy. And so it is in the Episcopal Diocese of Wyoming, where the Diocese is holding a special convention on March 5 to “affirm” the sole-source nomination of Bishop Todd Ousley as Bishop Provisional….
It’s that time of year that we all love to hate: New Year’s Day, when everyone and their twin brother speculates about the coming year. So, Anglican Watch will add to the collective misery with our predictions for 2025 and the Episcopal Church/Anglican Communion, with our usual emphasis on clergy discipline. Business as usual won’t…
Anglican Watch endorses +Holcomb’s efforts to make church safe for all persons, including those who have experienced abuse. We further note that he generally is considered a conservative bishop, which underscores our point that church safety is neither a liberal nor conservative issue, but rather a moral issue. We believe the church cannot grow and succeed…
Ed: The following was approved for release by ++Rowe. While we remain unconvinced of Singh’s integrity, we publish this in the interest of furthering discussion of the underlying issues. We further note that talk is cheap, but actions matter. We will continue to assess the situation based on Singh’s conduct, versus any statement he may…
On a day when many are reflecting on issues of organizational and collective integrity, there is good news from within the Episcopal Church. Specifically, incoming Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe has removed corrupt Bishop Todd Ousley from all involvement in the Title IV process for bishops as a precursor to Ousley’s departure later this year. Anglican…
On November 2, 2024, the Episcopal Church installed Bishop Sean Rowe for a nine-year term as the denomination’s presiding bishop. Shortly afterward, Rowe made a series of personnel and related announcements, which Anglican Watch believes portend good news for the church. This post discusses these announcements and several related topics, with an emphasis on clergy…
An Episcopal parish in the Diocese of San Diego has filed a Title IV appeal following the dismissal of their complaint against Bishop Susan Brown Snook (“Bishop Susan”) by the national church. Anglican Watch remains deeply concerned about the case, including Bishop Susan’s failure to resolve the parish’s underlying concerns of her own accord. Moreover, we…
Diocesan officials announced earlier today that former Diocese of California bishop Marc Andrus has been suspended from ministry as a result of allegations of an inappropriate relationship with an adult while serving as bishop diocesan. The move illustrates the denomination’s dated approach to ethics and clergy discipline. The suspension was issued by the presiding bishop’s…
Disclosure: Anglican Watch editor Eric Bonetti is a former member of Grace Episcopal Church. Grace Episcopal Church in Alexandria, VA, has invited rector Anne Turner to return to ministry following the Diocese of Virginia’s suspension of her for adultery. While Diocesan officials have approved the decision, Anglican Watch believes it is unwise and will cause lasting harm…
Media today responded to reports, first covered on Anglican Watch, that Bishop Lucinda Ashby and the Diocese of El Camino Real mishandled the presence of a registered sex offender at a church within the Diocese. Anglican Watch stands by its reporting and reiterates that both the Diocese and Ashby failed to act appropriately, contrary to…
Recently, we covered the Title IV clergy disciplinary complaint filed against San Diego Bishop Susan Brown Snook. Today’s post is an update on that situation. Sources close to the matter tell Anglican Watch that the intake officer for bishops, the Rev. Barb Kempf, dismissed the matter. An appeal appears imminent. But there’s more to the story. TEC…
In its response to a recent article in the Christian Post about its bungled response to a child sexual predator, the Episcopal Diocese of El Camino Real and Bishop Lucinda Ashby again demonstrated a lack of integrity and accountability on issues involving the presence of a registered sex offender at one or more churches in the Diocese. Anglican…
A review of the Dayton Ohio Court of Common Pleas docket reveals that Episcopal priest Daniel McClain and his wife Kate have been ordered to submit virtual home visits in the ongoing divorce litigation. While we have no doubt that Kate’s virtual home visit will go well, Anglican Watch staff broham are rolling on the floor with…
Just in case there was any doubt that Episcopal priest Dan McClain is a scumbag, recent court filings will remove any questions on that score. Per a recent filing by Patricia Duff, attorney for Dan’s wife Kate, Dan McClain has accepted a teaching job within the Reynoldsburg, OH city schools. To be direct, teachers, administrators,…
The recent Episcopal General Convention approved myriad changes to Title IV, the canons that establish a disciplinary process for clergy. Anglican Watch endorses these changes, but more is needed to make Title IV a safe process in which the Episcopal Church fulfills its promise to respect the dignity of every human being. Far more. So…
In our experience, one of the signs of a truly toxic personality is an individual who portrays himself as the victim of a situation they created. That’s the case with Easton bishop Santosh Marray (unaffectionately known as “Santosh Claws” by the Anglican Watch team), who recently used the funeral of a priest in his diocese, the Rev….
The Title IV clergy disciplinary case against Episcopal priest Ben Day has been referred to an investigator. The decision to investigate was made by the Title IV reference panel, which under church canons comprises the intake officer, the bishop diocesan, and one other member of the diocesan clergy disciplinary committee. Allegations against Day include sexual…
In the midst of General Convention 81 and the Great Kennesaw Debacle, we continue to keep our collective eye on Dan McClain, the rector-elect of St. Paul’s, Dayton, OH. McClain is currently suspended without pay in the middle of an ongoing Title IV case and acrimonious divorce. The acrimony, it is worth noting, originates with…
TLD: It is appalling that the Office of Presiding Bishop is not providing a pastoral response to the complainants in the Santosh Marray case. It is doubly appalling that Marray has not been suspended in light of his violation of Title IV confidentiality and threats of retaliation. A pastoral response needs to be provided immediately,…
Ed. We wholeheartedly endorse this excellent comment by one of our readers and are posting it in order to provide heightened awareness. It is often easy to criticize and what transpires in the Diocese of Easton shows that there is often good reason to do so. However, I would like to offer here some constructive…
Regular readers of Anglican Watch will probably grin — and roll their eyes — to learn that we have now read the entire Blue Book, the enormous heap of paper that magically appears prior to every Episcopal General Convention (GC). Yes, we are governance geeks. In our reading, we note that Title IV and the spectacularly corrupt…
Anglican Watch, in our role as advocates for those who have experienced abuse in the church, has filed a formal Title IV complaint with the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta against Marshall Ben Day, the rector of Christ Church Kennesaw. The complaint alleges that Day has engaged in sexual misconduct by having an intimate relationship, and…
Regular visitors to Anglican Watch may know that we have been researching the hellacious mess involving Marshall Ben Day, rector of Christ Episcopal Church in Kennesaw (and former local political candidate), and Atlanta Bishop Wright’s corrupt handling of a Title IV case against Day, otherwise known as the Kennesaw Debacle. Here’s what we know so far…
Anglican Watch has spoken with several persons close to the Santosh Marray Title IV clergy disciplinary case, and we are deeply concerned, both about the lack of progress in the case, and the larger implications for the Diocese of Easton and its members. Title IV status Developments (or lack thereof) include: The case will soon be a…
“We’re only as sick as our secrets” — AA ”Some of the most harmful abuse faced by employees is the least obvious, because it is not necessarily physical or sexual. How will the church take seriously the insidious and detrimental effects of psychological and emotional abuse?” — Association of Anglican Musicians In our coverage of…
As part of our ongoing investigation into the conduct of Easton bishop Santosh Marray and the Title IV charges filed against him by members of the Diocese of Easton, Anglican Watch has been rummaging into Marray’s past. We are deeply concerned to discover that he has previously opposed same-sex marriage. Our concerns grew when we learned that…
Following is an open letter prepared by a member of the Diocese of Easton regarding the Bishop Santosh Marray Title IV clergy disciplinary complaints. Anglican Watch unequivocally supports the complainants in this matter and calls on the national church to act with integrity in this matter. Further, we remind corrupt bishop Todd Ousley and others…
One of the things Anglican Watch likes about the Diocese of Southern Ohio is that it has a very sensible provision in its canons. Specifically, the Diocese expressly allows a parish to stop paying an administratively suspended priest who is part of a Title IV disciplinary proceeding after 90 days. (Canon XVIII, Section 10. (a)) But St. Paul’s Dayton has, at…
Episcopal priest Jason Phillip Myers, associate rector of Trinity Episcopal in Fort Worth, TX, was arrested by Collin County Sheriff’s Department on April 11, 2024 on felony charges of online solicitation of a minor. The Rev. Robert F. Pace, Trinity’s rector, learned of the arrest the following day, when he received a phone call from…