NEWS PROVIDED BY
Anglican Watch
July 30, 2025

ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 30, 2025 /Standard Newswire/ — Anglican Watch, the unofficial watchdog of the Episcopal Church, today condemned the Episcopal Diocese of New York’s misuse of the Title IV clergy disciplinary process in the case of an adult victim of sexual assault at St. Thomas Church Fifth Avenue.

Specifically, the Diocese is aware that one or more individuals may sue the Diocese. At the same time, multiple Title IV complaints have been filed, including against Bishop Heyd over his retaliation against the complainant and refusal to follow the provisions of Title IV.

The Diocese of New York has responded to the complaints about sexual harassment by opening an investigation. And while the Diocese claims that the investigation is part of the Title IV process, in reality, it is being used by the Diocese to seek information adverse to the complainant in the run-up to possible litigation.

“To be clear, the Diocese cannot use Title IV to conceal efforts to prepare for litigation,” said Anglican Watch official Eric Bonetti. “The two are, and must be, entirely separate, as the canons themselves make clear.

There are multiple additional indicators of bad faith/misconduct on the part of the Diocese and Bishop Heyd, including:

• Failing to provide the complainant with notice of his right to appeal the initial dismissal of his complaint.

• Refusing to conduct the professional pastoral care assessment required in all cases in which the allegations involve sexual misconduct.

• Refusing to provide the complainant with an advisor at the time of the Diocese initially dismissed the allegations of sexual assault.

• Allowing the Rev. Mark Schultz, one of the alleged assailants, to continue to serve at St. Thomas’.

• Refusing to provide the pastoral response required under the canons to the complainant and members of St. Thomas’.

• Using the chancellor as the Title IV church attorney, versus an unbiased, independent attorney.

• Refusing to recuse Suffragan Bishop Shin, despite multiple conflicts of interest.

• Continuing to use intake officer the Rev. Alison Quin, despite her egregious mishandling of the initial complaint.

• Making myriad defamatory comments about the complainant.

• Allowing St. Thomas rector Carl Turner to disclose the identity of the complainant to parishioners.

• Banning the complainant from all churches in the Diocese for the past seven months.

“This is a perfect example of what the Title IV clergy disciplinary canons are not, which is an opportunity to trash someone who complains about sexual assault, then covering your tracks by falsely invoking confidentiality. Nor does confidentiality apply to the complainant per the express provisions of the canons,” Bonetti continued.

“We therefore demand that all diocesan personnel now involved in the Title IV case resign immediately. Moreover, Bishop Heyd and the Diocese must stop their abuse of the Title IV process.

“If the Diocese does not immediately stop its abusive conduct, the alternative is simple: Both Bishop Diocesan Heyd and Bishop Suffragan Shin must face clergy disciplinary consequences, including being removed from office,” Bonetti adds. “Sexual assault should be a zero-tolerance matter and we will not permit the Diocese or its bishops to misuse Title IV. And we will file disciplinary complaints against both bishops, and all diocesan clergy involved in the case.”

Anglican Watch is the unofficial watchdog of the Episcopal Church. Founded in 20155, the organization addresses sexual and non-sexual abuse in the Episcopal Church and other faith communities.

SOURCE Anglican Watch

CONTACT:  Eric Bonetti, 240-380-2567, eric@anglicanwatch.com