Clergy and deputies of the Diocese of Pennsylvania met in an eerily calm convention Nov. 3, even as their bishop counted down the hours before his inhibition from all duties of ordained ministry.

The Rt. Rev. Charles E. Bennison, Jr., called the convention to order with only 14 hours left before his inhibition took effect, as ordered by Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori. The inhibition remains in force until a church court rules on charges brought against Bishop Bennison by the Title IV Review Committee, the ecclesiastical equivalent of a grand jury.

The charges concern how Bishop Bennison responded, as a rector in California in the mid-1970s, when his brother, John, an employee at the parish, became sexually involved with a 14-year-old female parishioner. His brother resigned from the ministry in June 2006.

During Pennsylvania's annual convention last year, Bishop Bennison survived a call for his immediate resignation, acknowledging that “my efforts to maintain confidentiality and prevent scandal were very misguided.” The review committee’s presentment against him quoted from the same language.

The closest Bishop Bennison came to acknowledging his inhibition directly was when he called on the diocesan chancellor, Stephen Chawaga, to brief convention on facts already disclosed by the Presiding Bishop’s office: that Bishop Bennison was the subject of a presentment, that he was inhibited as of 12:01 a.m. Nov. 4, and that the Presiding Bishop would recognize the standing committee as the diocese’s ecclesiastical authority until the case against Bishop Bennison is settled.

Otherwise, Bishop Bennison referred to his inhibition only indirectly. In a sermon during the convention Eucharist, which doubled as his annual address, he concentrated on the lessons of Richard Hooker, whom he called an apologist for Queen Elizabeth I’s vision of making peace between the church’s catholic and protestant wings.

“I’m so glad that Richard Hooker won the day,” Bishop Bennison said in a steady voice. “I’m so glad that this is not a Puritan church.”

Bishop Bennison also alluded to his inhibition in a moment of humor. The convention had encountered repeated trouble in electing some of its deputation to General Convention, and was engaged in a prolonged debate about combining the votes of clergy and deputies for a faster election.

“We’re voting to save time,” Bishop Bennison said to laughter as the discussion wore on. “This was not my idea. I have only a few more hours at this convention,” he said, prompting less vigorous laughter.

As the convention discussed a resolution commending the bishop and other staff for completing anti-racism training, one deputy questioned the appropriateness of commending a bishop who is facing an inhibition. His protest met only with scattered groans.

In the final reference to the inhibition, Bishop Bennison invited the Rev. Glenn Matis, president of the standing committee, to read a brief statement. “We ask your prayers for Charles and his family, for the standing committee, and for all in the Diocese of Pennsylvania,” the standing committee statement said. “With faith in Jesus Christ, with assurance of the presence of the Holy Spirit, and with sure reliance on the promises of God that will heal us and make us whole, we pray that we may all be drawn together as we face this difficult time.”

Bishop Bennison and the standing committee have been at odds for several years, with the standing committee claiming that Bishop Bennison has not provided them with full access to financial and other diocesan information. Eventually the standing committee hired its own lawyer and launched a website to make public their concerns. Last year, the standing committee filed its own presentment complaint against Bishop Bennison, alleging financial mismanagement. Those charges, which do not include malfeasance, are still under review.

“I was surprised that the bishop didn’t mention his situation with the national church,” Fr. Matis said in a brief interview with The Living Church. “I ask the people of the national church to pray for the people of this diocese, especially in this time of transition.”

The diocese continues struggling with limited finances, and clear reminders of that arose during the convention.

Bishop Bennison presented large, engraved certificates of appreciation to two departing staff members -- Carroll Sheppard, coordinator of congregational planning, and Mark Retz, executive director of Camp Wapiti. Bishop Bennison said he knew of several parishes that probably would not still exist were it not for Ms. Sheppard’s guidance. As he read aloud from the appreciative words for Mr. Retz, he broke into tears and paused to regain his composure.

Camp Wapiti may not survive, and the convention approved a resolution that authorizes a subcommittee to “explore all possible uses of the property, including, but not limited to, the timely sale of all assets the diocese will own” at the camp. Last summer the State of Maryland informed the diocese that it would not be purchasing part of the 616-acre Wapiti property for conservation purposes. Under a complex series of land transfer arrangements, the diocese had hoped to use proceeds from the sale to the state in order to exercise its option to purchase the property outright.

On Sept. 5, the committee on finance and property granted the diocese permission to take out a mortgage from a commercial lender up to $2.85 million to cover the $2.7 million purchase price plus associated fees. According to the authorizing resolution, the loan is to be “backed by the land itself, and also contingent upon [the diocese’s] ability to generate a concise business plan that demonstrates a capability to reduce such commercial debt to zero within (5) years.”

Bishop Bennison has also proposed a major real estate transaction to move the diocesan headquarters to the cathedral campus. During convention he welcomed the news that a property owner is willing to discuss selling to the Philadelphia Cathedral, which would make possible a longtime dream of completing a commons on the block. Bishop Bennison said the diocese can no longer use the top two floors of the current headquarters building because it is not up to code. Bringing those floors up to code would cost $2 million, the bishop said, so half of the diocesan office is now unoccupied.

Among other business, convention approved a budget of $2.3 million. Actual income in 2006 (the last year for which full data is available) was $3.4 million.

Douglas LeBlanc

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