When VOL spoke to Bennison he said, "Bishop Swing is my ecclesiastical authority and I am not going to respond to you."

Joelle Casteix of Newport Beach, CA, is Southwest Regional Director of SNAP (Survivors' Network of those Abused by Priests) accused the Episcopal Diocese of California of a cover up in the Episcopal Church in California and wrote VOL.

In letters from two SNAP leaders sent to the California law enforcement, school officials and Episcopal Church leaders, they charge that Bennison, who is rector of St. John's Parish in Clayton, California (Contra Costa County), is a "potential threat to your community." They also included a copy of a 1993 letter from then Los Angeles Episcopal bishop Frederick Borsch that confirmed Bennison molested the teen in Upland.

VOL endeavored to contact the retired California Bishop Fred Borsch in Philadelphia where he is attached to the Lutheran Seminary but he did not return a phone call regarding the activities of the Rev. John Bennison.

"Apparently, no one was going to warn the families of Clayton that there is an admitted molester ministering to their families," said Joelle Casteix. "Not only were the police not informed of Bennison's alleged criminal activity, but the leadership of the Episcopal church and Bishop William Swing - who allowed Bennison to remain in Clayton despite knowledge of Bennison's alleged abuse - do not seem to think that the children of Clayton are important enough to keep safe from sexual abuse or that Bennison's victims deserve justice. Bennison is an admitted molester working with families - he must be stopped and must be removed immediately."

SNAP's letters were sent to leaders of the national, regional and local Episcopal Church, the Episcopal dioceses of California and Los Angeles, Contra Costa and Clayton law enforcement and the Clayton and Concord school districts.

The group is asking local and national church leadership to use parish bulletins, newspapers and websites, and church buildings to post information about Bennison and his past actions. They also are requesting that church leadership visit parishes and post SNAP meeting information where anyone who may be suffering from abuse may find help and healing. In addition, they are asking that the Episcopal leadership sanction William Swing, who allows Bennison to remain in ministry, despite Bennison's alleged past of sexual abuse.

When VirtueOnline approached Bishop Swing's office we were told that the diocese would issue a statement regarding the matter. After two days and nothing appeared, this reporter again approached the diocese and was told that as the charges had been sent to Frank Griswold, the Presiding Bishop a statement would have to come from national church headquarters in New York. When VOL called the presiding bishop's office we were told that this was a local matter and the PB would not comment.

VirtueOnline again approached the Diocese of California and the following statement was issued: "Although this is primarily a diocesan matter, the Diocese of California is cooperating with the Presiding Bishop's office in order to obtain more clarification," said Sean McConnell, Department of Communications, Episcopal Diocese of California.

However, VOL was told by a diocesan spokesman; "We knew about this some time ago. The congregation knows about it as well. It is not quite as it is being described. [Bennison] has been there for 20 years, he has a flawless record. This happened back in 1977. It was with a teenager. He's a changed person. He is married with two college aged kids. Bishop Swing has met with Bennison and the victim and took care of it with counseling."

According to public church documents and press reports, LA Episcopal leaders investigated Bennison in 1993 after the alleged victim came forward. The alleged abuse took place while Bennison was on the staff at St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Upland, in the Diocese of Los Angeles.

"The Episcopal Church is trying to shame victims of sexual abuse in the church into keeping quiet by allowing an alleged molester to remain in ministry and denying his alleged victims accountability," Casteix said. "They have a moral and a legal obligation to victims and potential victims to warn the Episcopal and Clayton communities, remove this sexual abuser, and punish the men who allow him unfettered access to children and other vulnerable people," Casteix said.

Supporting documents, including the 1993 letter with the admission of abuse, are available upon request.

SNAP is a Survivors' Network of those Abused by Priests

The following letter was sent to Bishop Griswold:

The Most Rev. Frank T. Griswold Presiding Bishop and Primate
The Episcopal Church, USA
pboffice@episcopalchurch.org
815 2nd Ave. 7th Fl. New York, NY 10017
Fax: 212-490-3298

via e-mail and fax

Dear Rev. Griswold:

We at SNAP, the Survivors' Network of those Abused by Priests, are writing you today because there is a great risk to the safety of children in the small town of Clayton, California.

As you may or may not know, in 1993, Rev. John Bennison, the Pastor of St. John's Parish in Clayton, admitted to sexually molesting a 14-year-old girl in Upland, CA. In fact, in 1993, Bishop Frederick Borsch wrote a letter to the people of the Diocese of Los Angeles outlining the abuse and Bennison's confession. A full church investigation took place in 1993 in the Diocese of Los Angeles with the participation of Bishop William Swing. Despite admission of criminal and unethical behavior, as proven by the Episcopal Church leadership in Los Angeles, Bennison has remained in ministry and is currently working with children and families at St. John's Parish in Clayton. He has never been reported to law enforcement. Rather, Bennison has been protected by the Episcopal Church, while Bennison's victim was forced to suffer alone, in silence and shame.

We hope that you understand the gravity and danger of this situation. Bennison may be abusing right now. In fact, since he was never reported to law enforcement, who knows how many other children may have been hurt by Bennison since he molested this girl in the early 1970s?

Apparently, no one was going to warn the families of Clayton that there is an admitted molester ministering to their families. Not only were the police not informed of Bennison's criminal activity, but the leadership of the Episcopal church does not seem to think that the children of Clayton are important enough to keep safe from sexual abuse. He is an admitted molester working with families - he must be stopped.

After you immediately remove Bennison from ministry, we ask that you do the following:

1. Turn over all information you may have on Bennison in your personnel files to local Clayton and Contra Costa County law enforcement. They are receiving copies of this letter, and it is our hope that they will begin a complete investigation into Bennison's current activities.

2. Hold Bishop Swing - and/or any other bishop who knew of abuse and allowed it to continue - accountable for misconduct and collusion by posing sanctions and launching a church investigation into other alleged clergy abuse cases.

3. Utilize parish bulletins, newsletters, educational brochures and websites to post information about Bennison and his past actions, as well as other clergy perpetrators.

4. Post SNAP literature and meeting information at churches and on websites to inform anyone who may be suffering from abuse where they may find help and healing.

Keeping Bennison's past a secret is tantamount to ignoring a time bomb.

Keeping Bennison's past a secret also perpetuates abuse, pain, resentment, emotional and spiritual pain. Our requests are simple and reasonable, but their effects will be widespread. We want the Episcopal Church to be a united front in sending a clear, decisive message to abusers: The Episcopal Church has zero tolerance for clergy abuse and misconduct!

All children and church members deserve to be free from abuse. Church members deserve to feel safe and know that their church leaders can be trusted to do right in challenging situations and respond swiftly in the face of misconduct.

END