Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori has forwarded to the Title IV Review Committee a formal complaint made last November against Pennsylvania Bishop Charles E. Bennison, Jr., by the 10 lay and clerical members of the diocesan standing committee.

The complaint alleges that Bishop Bennison misappropriated diocesan assets, withheld vital information to which the standing committee was entitled and in other ways usurped their canonical authority. It was sent March 14 to Upper South Carolina Bishop Dorsey Henderson, chair of the review committee.

The decision to pursue an investigation of the charges was made after a March 2 meeting that included the current members of the Pennsylvania standing committee, those no longer on the standing committee who had signed the complaint, David Beers, chancellor to the Presiding Bishop, and his assistant, Mary E. Kostel, as well as Michael F. Rehill, special counsel to the standing committee, and his assistant, Pamela L. Lutz.

The review committee is the ecclesiastical equivalent of a grand jury for bishops. When conducting a formal investigation, it is charged with determining the answer to two questions: is it likely that that a canonical offense occurred? If so, are the charges serious enough to proceed with an ecclesiastical trial? If the answer to both questions is yes, a presentment (the equivalent of an indictment) is issued.

In an interview with The Living Church, Bishop Bennison said he was not surprised that the review committee will pursue an investigation.

“This is the due diligence process,” he said. “It would be surprising if it were not forwarded. The complaint is groundless. We will see what the Title IV Review Committee does with it.”

Many of the accusations against Bishop Bennison made by the standing committee concern the October 2004 purchase of land and subsequent construction costs for Camp Wapiti. Bishop Bennison said he never signed any checks and that the standing committee was consulted on any spending decisions related to the camp in which he was involved.

Improvements at the camp have proceeded ahead of schedule, Bishop Bennison said. This summer the diocese will hold seven week-long camp sessions for children and 49 parish events are scheduled to be held on the 1,600-acre plot of land located along the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland.

“The diocese has not lost any money on Camp Wapiti,” Bishop Bennison said. “Its wealth is now in land, not cash and financial securities.”

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