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Inhibited Central New York Rector Files Lawsuit
01/13/2006

The inhibited rector of a parish in the Diocese of Central New York has filed a $4.35 million lawsuit against Bishop Gladstone “Skip” Adams, the diocese and Gael Sopchak, the former controller.

The Rev. David G. Bollinger, rector of St. Paul’s, Owego, N.Y., alleges that Bishop Adams and others did not respond adequately to an allegation of sexual misconduct brought by Fr. Bollinger against another priest of the diocese, and then violated various secular and ecclesiastical laws in an attempt to silence him after Fr. Bollinger persisted with the complaint. The lawsuit has been filed with Tioga County Superior Court in the state of New York.

“I always thought we had checks and balances in the Episcopal Church,” Fr. Bollinger said. “I have tried to work within the system to right an injustice and been denied due process. The bishop is trying to starve me out of the ministry. If you read the entire complaint, this is one whole piece of cloth designed to ruin me.”

On May 31, the diocese served Fr. Bollinger with a 90-day notice of inhibition. In issuing the order, Bishop Adams accused Fr. Bollinger of “possible violations of various state and federal statutes forbidding personal use of Church funds” and suggested there “may be criminal wrongdoing by [Fr. Bollinger] and others,” for defrauding the Internal Revenue Service by not reporting income defalcated from the rector’s discretionary funds and a trust fund. The inhibition was renewed Sept. 29 following a hearing. Fr. Bollinger said he has been denied an appeal of the extension of the inhibition, something to which he said he is entitled according to the canons.

Fr. Bollinger, a life-long Episcopalian whose father, the late Rev. Charles E. Bollinger, was also a priest, said the sabbatical leave granted to him by the vestry after the first inhibition was imposed is scheduled to expire Feb. 1, and since he cannot go back to work while under inhibition, he will soon be without an income. Meanwhile, weekly attendance at St. Paul’s has dwindled.

Kathleen McDaniel, executive assistant to the bishop, said the diocese has been notified that it is being sued, but could not comment on the charges, because it has not yet received a complete copy of the complaint.

Ms. McDaniel said Ms. Sopchak tendered her resignation effective Jan. 20, in order to accept another position, and that her decision to leave the employ of the diocese is “completely unrelated” to the lawsuit filed by Fr. Bollinger.