From The Living Church website

Vestry Disputes Diocesan Charges Against Rector
09/16/2005

With a background that includes accusations of identity theft by a diocesan employee and sexual misconduct by a former rector, the vestry of St. Paul’s Church, Owego, N.Y., has sent a letter to every congregation in the Diocese of Central New York, defending its rector, the Rev. David Bollinger, against charges of criminal misconduct made by the Rt. Rev. Gladstone “Skip” Adams III, Bishop of Central New York.

On May 31, the diocese served Fr. Bollinger with a 90-day notice of inhibition, informing him that he was being brought up on charges under Canon IV.1.1(a), which states that a priest may be subject to inhibition or presentment for a “crime.”

The inhibition accused Fr. Bollinger of “possible violations of various state and federal statutes forbidding personal use of Church funds.” There “may be criminal wrongdoing by [Fr. Bollinger] and possibly others,” the letter noted, for defrauding the Internal Revenue Service by not reporting income defalcated from the rector’s discretionary funds and a trust fund. Fr. Bollinger was further charged with violating a number of canons of the diocese and the General Convention of the Episcopal Church.

The vestry submitted its concerns to the standing committee for consideration at the Sept. 8 meeting. The standing committee declined to receive the communiqué out of concerns that it might prejudice the proceedings. The vestry subsequently distributed the letter to every congregation in the diocese, and charged Bishop Adams with bad faith, claiming he had promised on May 22 that the parish would be given an opportunity to be heard.

Pastoral Directive
More than three years ago, an alleged victim of sexual abuse told Fr. Bollinger that a previous rector at St. Paul’s had “molested me when I was age 12” during a visit to a cabin owned by the priest and located in another state. On Jan. 12 of this year, the alleged victim reappeared at St. Paul’s and executed a sworn affidavit, witnessed by Fr. Bollinger and a second priest of the diocese Fr. Bollinger reported the incident to the diocese and was ordered not to speak to anyone about it in a “pastoral admonition” issued by Bishop Adams on Jan. 19.

In an interview with the Syracuse Post-Standard published that same day, Bishop Adams said he was gathering the clergy on Jan. 19 to “offer facts and attempt to clear up any rumor or unsubstantiated allegations that are being spread around the diocese” about a case of sexual misconduct. He told the newspaper that he had given an unnamed priest a “pastoral direction” but noted it had been “issued for the well-being of the priest and the well-being of the parish.”

Bishop Adams also told the Post-Standard the diocese was investigating an unrelated allegation of financial misconduct, and he again raised the specter of financial misconduct. Fr. Bollinger was not permitted to attend the mandatory clericus meeting, and during it Bishop Adams said Fr. Bollinger was no longer trustworthy and needed psychiatric evaluation, according to one participant who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Alleged Identity Theft
The clergy meeting occurred shortly after a Jan. 3 letter was sent to the diocesan chancellor by a lawyer retained by Fr. Bollinger. In the letter, the lawyer accused the diocesan controller of “improper and illegal conduct” and said he was in possession of records which “clearly indicate” that the controller “employed identity theft” to obtain access to the Bollingers’ financial data held at Fidelity Services and the Church Pension Fund. The letter asked the diocese to investigate. If the allegations proved true the lawyer said the controller should be admonished and the Bollingers should receive a written apology.

As of Sept. 16, Bishop Adams had not returned a message seeking comment.