“Religious sexual harassment and abuse has become an epidemic. Sadly, it’s not something new. It’s existed since the fall of Adam and Eve. Religion is not exempt. A sacred place meant to be safe and holy has become the breeding ground for violence and evil.” ― Sacred Wandering: Growing Your Faith In The Dark.
My good friend, Eric Bonetti, the editor of Anglican Watch, asked if I would repost this article. Eric tells me that he has worked with the victim for a couple of years. In this case, the victim wishes to be anonymous for now. He was molested under 13, allegedly by Fr. Richard Losch.
Losch, who was born in 1933, goes by Fr. Rick. Here is a link to his website where I discovered his claim that he is the Acting Priest-in-Charge, St. James’ Episcopal Church, Livingston, AL., which is surprising given his current age (90.)
His career is documented on Encyclopedia.com. The reader might find it interesting…Think about it.
CAREER: Episcopal priest, 1959-69; secondary school teacher, 1966-85; computer programmer and consultant, 1985-86; St. Timothy’s School, Raleigh, NC, principal, 1986-88, math instructor, 1988-89; Cape Fear Academy, Wilmington, NC, math instructor, 1989-93; University of West Alabama, Livingston, AL, math instructor, 1994-2000, assistant professor of statistics, 2001—; St. James’ Episcopal Church, Livingston, AL, rector, 1994—.
Eric told me that he and the victim contacted the following mentioned Episcopal leaders and were rewarded with silence. Thankfully, they didn’t quit. I’m grateful that the criminal justice system is now involved. Losch may face justice after all at the age of 90. Kudos to Eric for his persistence.
Isn’t it sad that the Episcopal church leaders didn’t seem to care? They sure have lots of leaders with fancy titles. I guess there is no “Intake Officer for those molested by Episcopal priests.” It’s time there was one. #Episcopalstoo
The recent news that alleged child rapist and Episcopal priest Richard Losch has been indicted for child sexual abuse raises a relat d issue. Specifically, numerous leaders in the Episcopal Church knew of the allegations yet did nothing.
Those who ignored the problem, despite more than a dozen emails from the victim pleading for help:
– Presiding Bishop Michael Curry
– Bishop for Pastoral Development Todd Ousley
– Title IV Intake Officer for Bishops Barb Kempf
– President of the House of Deputies Julia Alaya Harris
– National Youth Ministry Officer Canon Myra B. Garnes
– Safe Church Manager Bronwyn Skov
– Assistant to the Presiding Bishop Sharon Jones
– Bishop of Alabama, Glenda Curry
– Alabama Title IV Intake Officer Rob Morpeth
– Executive Assistant to Massachusetts Bishop Alan Gates, Laura Simons
– Diocese of Massachusetts Title IV Intake Officer Starr Anderson
Additionally, Alabama diocesan staff lied to Massachusetts police investigators, saying that Losch did not have access to children and was not serving at church. This despite serving as acting rector at two churches and living close to a school building.
Alabama diocesan staff also lied to an ELCA bishop who requested assistance with this matter and to the ELCA legal department.
A few church staff did help, including Diocese of New Hampshire Canon to the Ordinary Tina Pickering, Connecticut Bishop Ian Douglas (now retired), and the Rev. Canon Robin Hammeal-Urban, who was profoundly helpful and supportive throughout.
Anglican Watch condemns all church leaders who ignored their canonical and moral obligations to act and allowed an alleged child rapist to continue access to children.
For the record, no church is safe when judicatories display such profound indifference to child welfare and the well-being of others.
State v. Richard Losch Docket: 215-2023-CR-0609
Dear
Please be advised Richard Losch has been indicted by a Grafton County Grand Jury for the following crime(s) for which you are the identified victim:
| · CLASS A Felony Aggravated Felonious Sexual Assault – Victim<13 |
The Victim/Witness Program will continue to be your direct contact throughout the criminal justice process until the case is resolved. There may be occasions when it will be necessary for you to appear in court. For this reason, it is critically important you keep this office advised of any change in your address or telephone number. You will be notified by this office whenever your appearance in court is required.
At some point, you may be contacted by the defendant’s attorney, an investigator, or a representative from the attorney’s office. You may be asked to speak with and/or give a written statement to this person. Unless court ordered, any conversation with the defense is entirely your choice. If you are contacted by the defense, please notify this office.
Please contact this office at (603) 787-2040 with any questions or concerns you might have. Information is also available at www.graftoncountynh.org/all-departments/attorneys-office/information-for-victims.
Respectfully,
Ashley L. Belyea
Victim/Witness Coordinator
Office of the Grafton County Attorney
3785 Dartmouth College Hwy, Box 7
North Haverhill, NH 03774
We live in a broken world; we are broken people
The church has done everything in its power to avoid dealing with these issues, and the lies coming out of the Diocese of Alabama are appalling. And yes, I realize the Diocese will claim it was “misinformed” and all the usual hoo-ha, but when it comes to the safety of children they don’t have the right to be misinformed.
And church canons mandate a pastoral response, which has yet to be provided to the victim.
Profoundly disappointing.
True.
But not all of us hurt innocent people without remorse, even in our brokenness.
This.
In contrast, “All have sinned” has been misunderstood and misapplied so that we fail to differentiate between degrees of sin. While it’s true that any sin is enough to “fall short of the glory of God” and to render us in need of God’s forgiveness, not all sins are of equal weight (John 1:11) or do the same amount of damage to others.
Typo above. The reference is John 19:11.
senecagriggs,
Better a millstone…
In contrast, “All have sinned” has been misunderstood and misapplied so that we fail to differentiate between degrees of sin.
Eyewitness,
Yes, and some sins are crimes. Abuse is not just a sin. It is an egregious sin that harms someone else, and it is also a felony criminal offense.
Seneca Griggs,
Are you reading along?
“For the record, no church is safe when judicatories display such profound indifference to child welfare and the well-being of others.”
Ava Aaronson,
“Spotlight”, for example.
More than disappointing. Profoundly evil.
Entitled, dressed, and lauded as a church leader, then violate a child? Evil to the core.
It’s people that need to be dealt with, not issues. Criminals.
There is no worse crime than a biological father or church Father violating children, minors, teens.
The typical church will typically hold accountability for every penny, yet ignore the violation of minors. Pastor has got to be paid but he does not have to be accountable for his relationships.
The body of Christ is NOT a capital enterprise. It IS relationships: Love God, love your neighbor as yourself. That’s all.
The Kingdom of God is like no other. It is a kingdom of relationships, nothing else.
When we die or leave this Earth, we are reduced to our relationships. There is nothing else that matters.
Profoundly disgusting and wicked is more like it.
Why are the liars in Alabama (and any other places) not being fired and defrocked for covering up such a despicable evil? And by so covering things up, why aren’t they considered accessories to the crime?
What if the Christian dads and moms across the country got up late Sunday morning, having let themselves and the kids sleep in a bit. What if they then prepared a special breakfast for themselves and the kids, and then spent some time either out of doors as a family, or snuggled up together with the Sunday funnies, etc. And then when everyone was full of love and relaxed, what if mom or dad read a short passage of scripture (gospels are a great place to choose!) and then the whole family talked about what was read. And listened to each other. And if musically inclined, sang a bit together. Or not. And prayed together.
And then spent the rest of the day relaxing, enjoy a bit of shabbat and shalom.
How about that idea? Think it might go farther in sharing the faith with our kids than one more hurry up out the door sit down shut up listen to someone express their opinions pay up be quiet we do not care if you are hungry and those clothes are scratchy remember God is watching you day?
I do.
The theological elephant in the room; the Providence of God. Richard Losch is criminally guilty. But the question one could ask; God, how come you didn’t kill him before he molested the first little boy?
*
We, broken and confused humanity, cannot answer that question.
There simply is not room in a comment to deal with that question giving it the depth and nuance that it deserves.
My simple 75 year old faith; God is sovereign and God is good.
Ultimately evil serves God.
It’s coming down the pike in the form of a landmark case.
I’ve harped on this before.
One of these times, the head honcho of ‘church’ such and such, will be charged with complicity, because he knew of ‘Chester’ the molester in their midst and did nothing about it.
But all the other churches blew that one off with “We Thank Thee, LOOOOOOOORD, that WE are NOTHING like those Filthy Romish Papist Priests over there…”
Muff Potter,
I realize this is somewhat naive, but it should have happened already.
It’s a bit arrogant, eh?
However, in reality, in every case where a person, most often a guy, also often a white guy, could be a young attractive white guy, or an old codger wiseman poser white guy sage teacher, is elevated as God’s Special Person Representative, it’s dangerous. Privilege leads to evil. Evil abounds. No matter the brand: Catholic, Protestant, Anglican, Conservative, Liberal, Evangelical, Charismatic. Even Paul of the NT made sure he was never elevated. Same with the other Disciples. Most become obscure from the book of Acts forward.
Guideline:
Never pay for a gift of the Holy Spirit.
The traveling NT Apostles received limited room and board for a short time at each stay, nothing more.
Gifts of the Holy Spirit to the church are not a livelihood and never build a dynasty. No planes, platforms, or palaces. No paychecks or royalties.
Beware of books and book tours, conferences and Christian kumbaya. Secret sauce sages spreading their latest and greatest shiny version of the Gospel to line their pocketbook. Selling the Gospel. Selling their “teaching”. Jesus and the Discples never sold anything that had to do with the Gospel. Paul was a tentmaker.
With regard to Christian publishing and conferences, these gatekeepers are in NO WAY interested in Christa Brown or Jules Woodson. If they were actually seeking and promoting truth, they would have made these stories bestsellers to expose and fix the enormous problem of the violation of minors in the church.
Christian capitalism is not Christian. It has nothing to do with God. It is basically an American invention. American Christian capitalism is how parasites and violators like Ravi and Benny Hinn end up in the US. They see America’s version of faith and they smell money. Tax-free money.
I think your statement is more true than not for our culture. However, I think the more universal issue boils down more simply to “when a person… is elevated.”
In the church it is as God’s special person, but church Special People behave just as the world’s special people. And church organizations behave as the organizations of the world, like Penn State with its coach or the US Women’s Gymnastics Committee with its doctors and coaches, or political parties with their officials, SBC, yada yada.
I think the issue is power more than race or gender.
Across cultures, men have typically held more power. But are women in power less prone to misuse of power once they get it? I don’t know if we have enough data yet since women have not had access to power for all that long in human history.
In the list above of the names of 12 people who knew about the abuse and did nothing, at least 7 are women’s names; 4 are men’s. I don’t know whether Starr is a male or female name.
In the US white people have had more access to power, but in other cultures of the world, a certain ethnic group will have power and abuse it. So gender and ethnicity can play a role, but practically speaking, a person has to have more power than their victim to abuse.
I don’t think it’s an accident that all 3 temptations of Jesus have to do with the misuse of power.
I’m not trying to nitpick, but I believe thinking about who holds power is the more predictive lens to use to understand a situation. (And of course power and money are very intertwined. )
Etc. I greatly appreciate your entire comment.
Totally agree. Thx for finessing, clarifying. Very well stated. God bless.
The issue/problem IS all about power, but we happen to live in a time and place where a particular demographic of gender and race (of any age) is often but not always empowered more than the next person, including (maybe particularly) in the church. Power is the great opportunity for good or evil. Patriarchy.
Look who gets published by Christian publishers, who is featured at conferences, who is on church platforms week after week. Who is the loudest voice in the room? Who runs the seminaries? Is there any seminary with a woman in the lead executive position?
A woman who worked at Willow Creek said Hybels SAID he was all about empowering women when, according to her, his org was NOT. In her position at Willow Creek, she said, she did all the work while a young “God’s gift to humankind” guy took all the credit but did nothing. Her words. She fled, shaking off the dust.
The Jewish religious leaders of Jesus’ day were under the all powerful Romans. Yet they went on to misuse what power they had in their own community. And then execute the humble man (Son of God) from Nazareth – a man of the lowest class, the anawim.
Let’s just say I used that phrasing deliberately.
i.e. Filked the lyrics of that Rabbi from Nazareth.
One of the all-time best when it comes to VIVID imagery.
“Nothing’s worse than a monster who thinks he’s right with God.”
— Captain Mal Reynolds, Free Trader Serenity, Firefly
Sometimes with JUICY Speshul Sekrit Knowledge about SATAN and DEMONS and other Supernatural things.
For sale. $$$. Beware of the secret sauce “saints” selling their spiritual GIFTS of the Holy Spirit to the Church:
Rom 12: “having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us: if PROPHECY, let’s prophesy according to the proportion of our faith; or SERVICE, let’s give ourselves to service; or he who TEACHES, to his teaching; or he who EXHORTS, to his exhorting; he who GIVES, let him do it with generosity; he who RULES (ADMINISTRATION), with diligence; he who shows MERCY, with cheerfulness.
1 Cor 12: For to one is given through the Spirit the word of WISDOM, and to another the word of KNOWLEDGE, according to the same Spirit; to another FAITH, by the same Spirit; and to another gifts of HEALINGS, by the same Spirit; and to another workings of MIRACLES; and to another PROPHECY; and to another DISCERNMENT of spirits; to another different kinds of LANGUAGES; and to another the INTERPRETATION of languages, … Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. God has set some in the assembly: first APOSTLES, second PROPHETS, third TEACHERS, then MIRACLE WORKERS, then gifts of HEALING, HELPS/SERVICE, GOVERNANCE/ADMINISTRATION, and various kinds of LANGUAGE. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all miracle workers? Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with various languages? Do all interpret?
Eph 4: He gave some to be APOSTLES; and some, PROPHETS; and some, EVANGELISTS; and some, SHEPHERDS and TEACHERS;
I don’t know about you, but I’ve never paid for a gift. I’ve been hospitable to a gift-giver or a gift messenger but never paid for a gift.
The Holy Spirit gifts every Christian with a gift to the Church. Gift.
Is the model of church we have closer to extortion than gifts?
Then god is not good and hence the Abrahamic religions don’t have a lock on any truth.
It’s up to us. If fear of God’s punishment keeps you from being an evil person, good, I suppose. But god won’t stop you from being evil. That choice is yours.
Oh I can. Only a sovereign God is able to make humanity in His image namely, having the capacity to look after others’ integrity in a contingent universe, especially possessing Holy Spirit gifts unvetoed since Ascension.
Many leaders have turned christianity into a pretend “Abrahamic” religion. More importantly, the rest of your comment is spot on because so many christian leaders taught so many christians to neglect “so great a” salvation inclusive of distinct teachings. Self condemnation of oppressors according to the order of Nature gets attributed to God Who knew how to set up the possibilities of this universe.
Would Mrs Jessie Penn-Lewis be allowed today to do what she did?
I don’t come here often, and I’ve never commented here before. I enjoy your website but it’s painful to read so I can only do so in small doses.
Unfortunately, the Episcopal Church isn’t taking this as seriously as it needs to. My parish back in Texas appointed me their Safeguarding God’s Children trainer and recordkeeper for our church. I was rushed through the training and then tasked with getting everyone certified. It was a nightmare. We had outdated records of who worked with our kids, many records were incomplete, and some just plain didn’t exist. Long story short, we had a lot of people working with kids that should’ve been sidelined until I could get them compliant. I asked the priest and his wife multiple times for help but they blew me off. I even had a convo with our rep in the diocese to ask for help, but still nothing happened. I was also a confirmation teacher and on the altar guild so I was already stressed because the lack of organization and procedures extended far beyond the issues with safeguarding.
In the end, I walked away. And no one cared. That was before the pandemic. It wasn’t the first time a church has let me down (another reason why your blog is painful). I haven’t found a new home church since, even though I’ve moved cross-country.
Fear of Punishment above all else is the TODDLER level of moral development.
Such churches are cranking out Arrested Development perpetual toddlers so they can be the perpetual Mommy/Daddy, like some sort of Spiritual Munchausen-by-Proxy.