The Rev. Elyse Gustafson had accused Howard of LGBTQ+ discrimination in a case that summarized broader complaints about how he had treated gay and lesbian clergy in the Jacksonville-based diocese, which he’d led for nearly 20 years. A separate, unrelated complaint had accused Howard of a series of financial improprieties during his tenure.

“The church had a chance to do something important. We had a chance to hear the truth,” Gustafson wrote. “The presiding bishop chose not to do so. It was his choice. I believe it was the wrong one.”

Florida Bishop John Howard stepped down in October 2023 after reaching the church’s mandatory retirement age of 72. Photo: Diocese of Florida

Rowe announced Oct. 1 that he had reached an accord with Howard to end those cases without disciplinary action and without Howard admitting any wrongdoing, though he later asked Rowe to remove him from ministry as a bishop and Episcopal clergyperson. Rowe said he had concluded that proceeding to hearings, which had been scheduled for Oct. 27 and Nov. 10, would have subjected the diocese to more pain and unnecessary cost. Instead, he said he hoped the diocese would “continue the extraordinary progress you have been making in fostering unity, transparency and shared governance.”

Gustafson said she strongly disagrees with that decision, which ends efforts by critics of Howard’s leadership to hold him accountable under the church’s Title IV canons on clergy discipline. The accord between Rowe and Howard was approved by the Disciplinary Board for Bishops.

Gustafson expressed particular shock that the decision was made so close to Howard’s hearings, saying she and several other witnesses were prepared to testify against the bishop.

“Now we are left to the same confusion, distrust, and shame that we had before, characteristics that always, always embolden those willing to abuse power while leaving people like me without recourse or protection. Only it is worse now because I no longer have Title IV as an option. The disappointment is suffocating, and it is quickly and predictably evolving into fear.”

A church spokesperson, when asked for comment on the reaction, said Rowe sent Gustafson a letter Oct. 2 apologizing to her on behalf of the church and “acknowledging that she has borne an outsized share of the harm inflicted by an unhealthy past diocesan culture–and intimidation by a bishop who failed to acknowledge the equality and belovedness of LGBTQ+ people.”

Howard stepped down in October 2023, after reaching the church’s mandatory clergy retirement age of 72. The two Title IV cases against him were first revealed publicly in June 2024.

The Diocese of Florida’s Camp Weed & Cerveny Conference Center in Live Oak, Florida. Photo: Camp Weed

The Episcopal Church’s Title IV disciplinary canons apply to all clergy, though cases involving bishops follow a separate process from those at the diocesan level. Early on, Rowe had been in conversation with Howard on a possible accord, but in February 2025, Rowe announced that the cases would proceed to a hearing panel, marking a more public phase of the process.

“As the hearing panel processes have gained momentum, the pain of these last several years has been compounded by the human and financial toll of preparing for them,” Rowe said in his Oct. 1 letter to the diocese. “Even as the costs have mounted, it has become increasingly clear that any restrictions imposed by a hearing panel would have had little practical effect.”

Because Howard had reached the church’s retirement age, he was “unlikely ever to have sought or to have been granted leave to exercise active episcopal ministry again,” Rowe said.

Gustafson, however, argued in her response that it would have served a purpose to allow complainants and other witnesses to present evidence and testimony at a hearing. “None of that will happen now,” she said. “The loss takes my breath away. It would have helped us. It would have helped any future bishop of the Diocese of Florida. Light and air would have done us so much good.”

The Consultation, a network of progressive Episcopal groups, also responded to Rowe’s decision by saying the individuals harmed and the wider church “deserve to understand what took place.”

The church spokesperson said Rowe, in his letter to Gustafson, invited her and “anyone else in the diocese who would find it healing” to “participate in a time of public story sharing.”

“He is committed to ensuring that her story and those of other LGBTQ+ people who have been harmed can be heard by the entire church in a forum that is not subject to the adversarial nature of a disciplinary proceeding,” the spokesperson said in written comments that did not specify when or where such a forum might be convened.

“Bishop Rowe has pledged that the church will make a substantial contribution to the diocese’s ongoing efforts toward healthier governance, greater accountability in financial matters, increased transparency, and full inclusion in matters of human sexuality.”

– David Paulsen is a senior reporter and editor for Episcopal News Service based in Wisconsin. He can be reached at dpaulsen@episcopalchurch.org.

Bishop John Howard led the Jacksonville-based Diocese of Florida from 2004 to 2023. Photo: Diocese of Florida

[Episcopal News Service] Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe has reached an agreement with former Florida Bishop John Howard to end the two Title IV cases against Howard without any disciplinary action and without Howard admitting any wrongdoing. Rowe said this would spare the church and the diocese the further pain and expense of taking the Diocese of Florida’s retired bishop to disciplinary hearings in the coming weeks on allegations of LGBTQ+ discrimination and financial improprieties.

Rowe’s agreement with Howard, known as an accord under The Episcopal Church’s Title IV disciplinary canons for clergy, required the authorization of the Disciplinary Board for Bishops, which voted to accept it late Sept. 30. Rowe informed the diocese of his decision to end the two cases in a letter that was released Oct. 1 by the diocese and the churchwide Office of Public Affairs.

“Whether this comes as welcome news or as a disappointment to you, I want you to understand my motivations for negotiating this accord,” Rowe said. “Your diocese’s continued healing and vitality is my highest value in this matter, and I believe that ending these Title IV processes is the best possible way for you to continue the extraordinary progress you have been making in fostering unity, transparency, and shared governance.”

Rowe’s message also said that the 74-year-old Howard, independent of their agreement to end the cases, informed Rowe after he’d signed the accord that he wished to be released and removed from ordained ministry. Rowe granted that request, meaning Howard is no longer a bishop or clergy in The Episcopal Church.

The two cases previously had been scheduled for hearings, similar to civil trials, on Oct. 27 and Nov. 10, though church leaders had recently raised alarm that Howard had not been responsive to the process for most of this year.

UPDATE: Priest who filed complaint against former Florida bishop says presiding bishop erred in ending case

“The matter has, in recent weeks, become a significant distraction to the good work you are doing to reinvigorate healthy systems and structures,” Rowe said. The two Title IV cases also have been costly, he noted. The church already had spent more than $100,000 investigating the allegations and preparing for the hearings, and church leaders anticipated even greater costs ahead, “money that would not have been available for other mission and ministry,” Rowe said.

“The goals of Title IV include healing, forgiveness, and reconciliation, and I grieve that at this stage, we cannot achieve those goals with your former bishop,” Rowe said in a message to the Diocese of Florida. “My hope is in Christ, and I will not stop praying that John may be reconciled to you.”

The Jacksonville-based diocese’s standing committee president, the Rev. Justin Yawn, issued a written statement acknowledging that the outcome of these cases “brings a range of emotions across our community.”

“We honor the perspectives of all those affected. Our focus remains on the path ahead in proclaiming the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and continuing to build unity and trust among each other,” Yawn said. “While we acknowledge this moment’s complexity, we are grateful to God for where we are today and remain committed to continued healing, growth, and progress in the months and years ahead.”

Howard served the Diocese of Florida for 20 years until his retirement in October 2023, after reaching the church’s mandatory clergy retirement age of 72. One of the two cases filed under the church’s Title IV canons alleged that the diocese, under Howard’s leadership, engaged in a pattern of discrimination against LGBTQ+ clergy and aspirants to ordained ministry, as well as their supporters. The second case was unrelated and centered on three diocesan financial matters during his time as bishop.

Howard submitted written responses to these allegations in August 2024. He affirmed many of the underlying facts but denied all wrongdoing. Episcopal News Service has been unable to reach him for a more recent response.

The Episcopal Church’s Title IV disciplinary canons apply to all clergy, though cases involving bishops follow a separate process from those at the diocesan level. Early on, Rowe had been in conversation with Howard on a possible accord, but in February 2025, Rowe announced that the cases would proceed to a hearing panel, marking a more public phase of the process.

“As the hearing panel processes have gained momentum, the pain of these last several years has been compounded by the human and financial toll of preparing for them,” Rowe said in his Oct. 1 letter to the diocese.

“Even as the costs have mounted, it has become increasingly clear that any restrictions imposed by a hearing panel would have had little practical effect,” Rowe said. Because Howard had reached the church’s retirement age, he was “unlikely ever to have sought or to have been granted leave to exercise active episcopal ministry again.”

“John was your bishop for 20 years, and I acknowledge with gratitude his struggle in the early years of his episcopacy to keep the Diocese of Florida in The Episcopal Church during a time of schism and dissension over matters of human sexuality. I am also mindful that in the ensuing decades, as The Episcopal Church has prayed, studied, and discerned the evidence of God’s blessing in the lives and love of LGBTQ+ siblings in Christ, John’s approach did not serve equally well all contexts of the diocese’s ministry and caused deep pain for many.

“For those painful years and the harm that came from them, I offer my deep and heartfelt apology to the LGBTQ+ community and its allies in the Diocese of Florida and across The Episcopal Church, and to all who have been harmed by the last several years of unrest and division in the diocese.”

The Diocese of Florida has been without a diocesan bishop for the two years since Howard’s retirement. In 2022, the diocese twice tried to elect Howard’s successor, but both times the elections were successfully blocked by objections filed by some Florida clergy and lay leaders, leaving Florida unable to consecrate a new bishop.

In the meantime, the diocese hired former El Camino Real Bishop Mary Gray-Reeves, who is trained in conflict mediation, to lead and facilitate a period of healing and discernment among members of the diocese involving a series of conversations across difference. The process was not intended specifically to enable a new bishop election, though diocesan leaders previously indicated healing would be necessary before a new election could be held.

In March 2025, the Diocese of Florida Standing Committee announced it was launching a new bishop search. The standing committee’s tentative timeline would allow for an election in late summer or early fall 2026 and the bishop-elect’s consecration in early 2027. Central Florida Bishop Justin Holcomb and Southwest Bishop Douglas Scharf are assisting the Diocese of Florida during its leadership transition.

“We have made significant progress thanks to the help and involvement of many — from Bishop Mary Gray-Reeves and our assisting bishops, to our clergy, staff and laity across our diocese,” Yawn said. “We recently hosted a successful annual convention and have named members of our bishop search and transition committees as we work productively and transparently toward a bishop election late next year.”

– David Paulsen is a senior reporter and editor for Episcopal News Service based in Wisconsin. He can be reached at dpaulsen@episcopalchurch.org.

Craig Merritt, right, the church attorney in two Title IV disciplinary cases against former Florida Bishop John Howard, speaks Aug. 20 at a motion hearing before the hearing panel in the Howard cases. The panel’s chair is North Carolina Assistant Bishop Jennifer Brooke-Davidson. Howard did not attend.

[Episcopal News Service] Former Florida Bishop John Howard “sort of fell off the radar” and has not been heard from since February, a church attorney told a disciplinary hearing panel Aug. 20 in the Title IV cases against Howard, who is accused of discrimination and financial impropriety.

More than 40 people, including several clergy and lay leaders from Howard’s diocese, attended the motion hearing on Zoom. Howard was not among them.

“It’s important for the record to show that the church attorney and the hearing panel itself have taken every opportunity and taken every reasonable step that we can to be sure that Bishop Howard has notice of all of the proceedings that are taking place and that he have an opportunity to appear and participate,” Craig Merritt, the attorney for The Episcopal Church, said while outlining his motion. It asks the hearing panel to compel Howard to respond or else allow the case to proceed without his cooperation.

North Carolina Assistant Bishop Jennifer Brooke-Davidson, who chairs the hearing panel, agreed that Merritt’s description of Howard’s unresponsiveness is “consistent with what the hearing panel has seen.” The last procedural contact between Howard and the hearing panel was in February, when the two sides met through their attorneys and agreed on a scheduling order.

“It has been six months since we have heard anything from him,” Brooke-Davidson said.

Florida Bishop John Howard retired in October 2023 after reaching the church’s mandatory retirement age of 72. Photo: Diocese of Florida

Howard served the Jacksonville-based Diocese of Florida for 20 years until his retirement in October 2023, after reaching the church’s mandatory clergy retirement age of 72. One of the two cases filed under the church’s Title IV canons alleges that the diocese, under Howard’s leadership, engaged in a pattern of discrimination against LGBTQ+ clergy and aspirants to ordained ministry, as well as their supporters. The second case is unrelated and centers on three diocesan financial matters during his time as bishop.

Howard submitted written responses to these allegations in August 2024. He affirmed many of the underlying facts but denied all wrongdoing. Episcopal News Service has been unable to reach him for a more recent response.

The Episcopal Church’s Title IV disciplinary canons apply to all clergy, though cases involving bishops follow a separate process from those at the diocesan level. Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe had been in conversation with Howard on a possible accord, or agreement, to resolve the matter, but in February 2025, Rowe announced that the cases would proceed to a hearing panel, marking a more public phase of the process.

A Title IV hearing, similar to a civil trial, had been scheduled to begin at the end of April but was postponed to allow time for both sides to pursue discovery, the process of gathering evidence, requesting documents and deposing witnesses. Howard, however, has not participated in the discovery process, and in June, Merritt filed a motion seeking to compel Howard to provide documents and answer written questions. The bishop still has not responded, Merritt said at the Aug. 20 hearing.

“We are working diligently to not let this turn into some sort of ad hominem attack on the bishop personally,” Merritt said, but Howard has given no reason for the sudden lack of cooperation, leaving the church to conclude that it is “intentional and by design.”

In addition to Brooke-Davidson, the members of the hearing panel include the Rev. Mally Lloyd, a Diocese of Massachusetts priest; former Michigan Bishop Wendell Gibbs; Bill Fleener Jr., chancellor of the Diocese of the Great Lakes; and Bethlehem Bishop Kevin Nichols. Brooke-Davidson said the panel plans to issue a ruling on Merrit’s motion by Aug. 25.

Howard’s Title IV hearing now is set to begin Nov. 10 in Jacksonville, according to a separate scheduling order. The current deadline for both sides to comply with requirements for disclosure of evidence is Aug. 29.

Merritt has asked the hearing panel to rule that Howard, by his lack of participation, has waived his right to object to any of the church’s requests for documents, testimony or other evidence. To allow Howard to resurface at a later date and raise objections “would be prejudicial to the process,” Merritt said, and could turn the proceedings into an “expensive side show.”

It also is unclear whether Howard is currently represented by an attorney in the cases. His former attorney, Stephen Busey, told the hearing panel in April that he had to step down from representing Howard, citing “personal reasons.” Busey told ENS by email that he was not sure whether anyone else is representing Howard.

– David Paulsen is a senior reporter and editor for Episcopal News Service based in Wisconsin. He can be reached at dpaulsen@episcopalchurch.org.

Bishop John Howard led the Jacksonville-based Diocese of Florida from 2004 until his retirement in 2023. Photo: Diocese of Florida

[Episcopal News Service] The church attorney representing The Episcopal Church in the disciplinary cases against former Florida Bishop John Howard has accused Howard of failing to cooperate in the proceedings and has asked the hearing panel to compel the retired bishop to produce documents and written responses to questions.

“There is no plausible reason to conclude that [Howard] is unaware of the deadlines,” the attorney, Craig Merritt, said in a motion, which will be taken up in an online proceeding at 10:30 a.m. Aug. 20. The motion and the scheduling of oral arguments on the motion suggest that Howard has refused for months to cooperate in two parallel cases, one alleging anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination and the other alleging financial impropriety when he was a diocesan bishop.

“The task of requesting a time extension is not daunting,” Merritt wrote. Howard “has demonstrated his ability to communicate with a Hearing Panel when he chooses, and it is likely that his failure to make such a request is anything but unintentional.”

Howard is facing potential discipline under the church’s Title IV canons, which apply to all ordained clergy. Such cases sometimes are resolved through an accord, or negotiated agreement, in which some or all details remain confidential. In this case, Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe announced in February that his discussions with Howard had not yet resulted in such an accord, and the case would proceed to the more public phase, before a Title IV Hearing Panel.

Howard’s cases previously had been scheduled for a hearing April 30-May 2, but the week before the hearing, the church announced it had been delayed to an unspecified future date.

Howard served the Jacksonville-based Diocese of Florida for 20 years until his retirement in October 2023, after reaching the church’s mandatory clergy retirement age of 72. One of the two cases filed under the church’s Title IV canons alleges that the diocese, under Howard’s leadership, engaged in a pattern of discrimination against LGBTQ+ clergy and aspirants to ordained ministry, as well as their supporters. Howard, while affirming his conservative theological beliefs, has denied the claims of discrimination.

The second case is unrelated and centers on three financial matters. Howard is accused of improperly benefiting from a home loan provided by his Jacksonville-based diocese that the diocese eventually forgave, and he is accused of spending money from a bishop’s discretionary account on home improvements. The case also details concerns about the transparency and propriety of an arrangement between Howard, an anonymous donor and an independent diocesan foundation to boost the bishop’s salary while also fulfilling corresponding pension obligations in the years before his retirement.

Howard, in his written responses to these allegations, affirmed many of the underlying facts but denied all wrongdoing.

After the church attorney alleged lack of cooperation, Episcopal News Service sought comment from Howard through his attorney, who responded that he was no longer representing Howard in the matter. Since April, no other attorney for Howard has been listed in case documents posted to the church website. ENS also reached out to Howard by email and will update this story if a response is received.

In April, the hearing panel had issued an updated scheduling order, giving both sides a series of new deadlines, including for providing requested documents and conducting depositions with possible witnesses. On April 21, the church issued a request to Howard for that evidence, known as “discovery,” but since then, Merritt said Howard has openly refused to cooperate with those requests.

“It is 53 days since service of the written discovery; and two weeks past the deadline for a response,” Merritt said in his June 13 motion, which was filed in the case related to financial matters. Merritt added that Howard had “advised the Hearing Panel that he decided to disengage from this and the other pending Title IV proceeding until August 10, 2025. He has not signaled his intentions after that date.”

Merritt has asked the hearing panel to order Howard to comply and, if he doesn’t, to allow the church to proceed with the case without his cooperation if necessary. Merritt also cautioned against allowing Howard’s unresponsiveness to disrupt the case’s timely advance.

“The church does not want to be caught in a trap, whereby the respondent, having withdrawn from the process, returns only to claim that actions taken in his absence were somehow unfair,” Merritt said.

Under the most recent scheduling order, depositions were to be concluded by Aug. 18. With that and other deadlines missed, it is unclear when the two cases might proceed to a hearing.

– David Paulsen is a senior reporter and editor for Episcopal News Service based in Wisconsin. He can be reached at dpaulsen@episcopalchurch.org.

The Rev. Roger Haenke is the subject of a Title IV proceeding by the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego, based on an allegation that he had engaged in sexual misconduct with a minor. Photo: Wesbite of St. John’s, Chula Vista, California

[Episcopal News Service] The Episcopal Diocese of San Diego on Aug. 5 issued a statement saying it has begun a formal Title IV disciplinary proceeding against the Rev. Roger Haenke, rector of St. John’s in Chula Vista, California, after an Aug. 1 allegation on social media that he had engaged in sexual misconduct with a minor.

Proceedings under Title IV are the mechanism in The Episcopal Church for addressing allegations of clergy misconduct.

“We are taking this seriously,” the statement said, noting that the diocese has notified law enforcement and child protective services and is fully cooperating with authorities on the matter.

Haenke, who currently is on a previously scheduled medical leave, will remain on leave until further notice.

San Diego Bishop Susan Brown Snook said in the statement, “The safety of all members of our congregations and communities — especially children — is our highest priority.” She added, “As Christians, we are called to hold one another to account, and we are committed to reconciliation and healing if we fall short of our own ideals.”

A biography on the St. John’s website says that Haenke had been a Roman Catholic priest in North Dakota before he became an Episcopalian while living in Seattle, Washington. In 2008 he moved to San Diego, where he held nursing director positions at several local medical facilities and taught nursing at San Diego State University.

He was received as an Episcopal priest in 2017, and he served at St. John’s as priest-in-charge from 2020-2022 and as rector since 2023.

The Rev. Gwynn Lynch, the diocese’s canon to the ordinary, was present at St. John’s on Sunday, Aug. 3 to offer support and read a pastoral letter to the congregation. The letter said that the diocese had no reason at this time to believe anyone in the congregation had been harmed, “but we do not yet have all the information.”

Noting that the allegation against Haenke is “disturbing and can stir up difficult feelings and memories,” the letter offered contact information through the diocese for pastoral support.

The diocese’s statement also urged anyone with information about the matter to contact the local police, child protective services, diocesan intake officer the Rev. Willy Crespo or the diocesan office.

The gatherings’ purpose will be to support reconciliation and healing in the diocese. The Steering Committee will report to the Standing Committee, the announcement said.

Easton Bishop Santosh Marray announced in February his plans for early retirement.

Marray initially said last November that he planned to retire in fall 2026, setting in motion the process for calling his successor. He will serve until Oct. 31 of this year, after which he plans to take a scheduled one-month vacation followed by a two-month sabbatical. His official retirement date will be Feb. 2, 2026.

“As the diocese began to engage in a process of discernment following Bishop Santosh Marray’s announcement of his intention to resign as our diocesan bishop, it became apparent to the Discernment Committee that they could not effectively engage the diocese in discerning our future while dysfunction, discord, hurt, and grief clearly exist,” the Aug. 4 announcement said.

“The Discernment Committee advised the Standing Committee that the need for this kind of specific listening and healing work is beyond the scope and abilities of their committee. Therefore, they recommended the Standing Committee engage a consultant from outside the diocese to carry out this work and that the consultant should report to the Standing Committee.”

In July 2023, Marray was the subject of a disciplinary complaint alleging inappropriate behavior, according to information posted in May 2024 to The Episcopal Church’s website. Few details have been released publicly about the allegations, other than that “multiple complainants” made allegations of “inappropriate public statements and behavior” by Marray. A separate complaint was filed in February 2024 by a single complainant alleging “inappropriate public statements and misrepresentations.”

Under the church’s Title IV disciplinary canons, a three-member reference panel referred the matters to a canonical process known as conciliation, in which Marray and the complainants were to work with an appointed conciliator to reconcile their differences.

On Jan. 21, 2025, the reference panel issued determinations concluding both matters with pastoral responses. No other information was provided about the cases’ resolution.

Gray-Reeves served as the third bishop of the Diocese of El Camino Real from 2007 to 2020. She then became the managing director of the College for Bishops, where she continues to serve. She also offers consulting services utilizing her knowledge of family systems theory, mediation and conflict resolution skills.

“While the terms of our agreement are confidential, we want you to know that we have reached it with a deep mutual commitment to the goals of the Title IV canons, which include healing, restitution, and reconciliation,” Rowe and the family said in their statement, which was released by the church’s Office of Public Affairs. In addition to Rowe, it was signed by Singh’s ex-wife, Jebaroja Singh, and his two adult sons, Nivedhan Singh and Eklan Singh.

“We share the hope that this resolution will inspire our church to practice those values more fully. By virtue of our baptism, Episcopalians are called to be accountable to one another, and we pray that our reconciliation will be a witness to the church about the importance of that shared call.”

The statement comes more than seven months after Rowe announced he had reached a disciplinary accord with Singh over the family’s allegations, which Singh continued to dispute, of physical and verbal abuse and separate allegations related to his 13 years as a diocesan bishop in Rochester, New York.

At that time, Rowe said he was suspending Singh for at least three more years, with approval of the Disciplinary Board for Bishops, after which Singh could face deposition, or removal from ordained ministry, if he falls short of requirements imposed on him. Those requirements include that Singh participate in “psychological work, education and training” related to domestic abuse, anger management and “proper exercise of authority,” as well as a program “addressing his relationship with alcohol.”

After Rowe announced the accord in December, Jebaroja Singh told Episcopal News Service the presiding bishop had met with her and her sons after the accord’s terms were already proposed, and those terms didn’t go as far as the family wanted. She also questioned how Singh could agree to pursuing reconciliation if he continued his denials.

The statement released July 25 does not specify how the family’s concerns have been addressed.

Under the accord, which was approved by the Disciplinary Board for Bishops, Andrus will remain suspended from ordained ministry until Rowe is “satisfied that he has demonstrated sufficient amendment of life to permit his return,” Rowe said in a letter to the church on the matter.

Andrus also will undergo professional psychological evaluation and engage in “counseling and spiritual work” related to the matter.

The Title IV canons outline disciplinary processes for all Episcopal clergy. Cases against bishops have drawn increased scrutiny across the church in recent years as some Episcopalians, including some bishops, have warned of a perception that bishops are not held to the same standards as other clergy.

Bishop Marc Andrus retired from leading the Diocese of California in July 2024. Photo: Diocese of California

The complaint against Andrus was revealed by church leaders in October 2024, the month before Rowe took office as The Episcopal Church’s denominational leader. The church, in announcing that Andrus’ ministry had been restricted, provided few details about the complaint or the complainant.

The restriction on Andrus’ ministry was imposed by the Rt. Rev. Mary Gray-Reeves, former bishop of the Diocese of El Camino Real. Gray-Reeves had been involved in reviewing several disciplinary cases against bishops as the designate of then-Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, Rowe’s predecessor.

Most steps in the Title IV disciplinary process remain confidential, though the presiding bishop or his designate has broad discretion under the canons to make some information public if it is deemed “pastorally appropriate” to do so. The canons also state that notices of accords shall be made public.

The presiding bishop’s letter said the complainant alleged Andrus engaged in inappropriate communication “over a series of years”; the claim was investigated by a professional with Title IV experience. The accord also provides for appropriate care for the pastoral and therapeutic needs of the complainant.

Andrus, one of The Episcopal Church’s most prominent voices on issues of the environment and climate change, led his San Francisco-based diocese for 18 years before retiring from the diocesan post in July 2024. His successor, the Rt. Rev. Austin Rios, was consecrated bishop coadjutor in May 2024 and succeeded Andrus two months later.

“In keeping with the canons, I consulted with the complainant during the process of creating the accord,” Rowe said in his letter. “In this matter, as in all Title IV matters, we are guided by the theological foundation of Canon 1 of Title IV, which calls us to healing, repentance, forgiveness, restitution, justice, amendment of life, and reconciliation. Please join me in praying for those gifts of the Spirit for everyone affected by this process.”

Rios also released a statement to the diocese. “I realize this matter remains painful for many in our diocesan community,” he said. “I will continue to be present with our clergy and congregations in the days ahead. Please join me in praying for healing for all those affected, and for our life together as people rooted in Christ’s mercy and mission.”

– David Paulsen is a senior reporter and editor for Episcopal News Service based in Wisconsin. He can be reached at dpaulsen@episcopalchurch.org.

Bishop John Howard led the Jacksonville-based Diocese of Florida from 2004 to 2023. Photo: Diocese of Florida

[Episcopal News Service] The Episcopal Church on Feb. 3 released documents related to the two Title IV disciplinary cases against former Florida Bishop John Howard, including details of alleged financial impropriety that had not been revealed publicly until now.

Episcopal Church canons require that such documents be made public now that the cases against Howard are proceeding to a disciplinary hearing panel. One of the two cases alleges discrimination against a priest as part of a broader pattern of anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination under Howard’s leadership. Those allegations have been thoroughly documented and debated since they first drew public scrutiny in February 2023.

The second case is unrelated and centers on three previously unpublicized allegations. Howard is accused of improperly benefiting from a home loan provided by his Jacksonville-based diocese that the diocese eventually forgave. He also is accused of spending money from a bishop’s discretionary account on home improvements.

The last allegation in the financial case raises concerns about the transparency and propriety of an arrangement between Howard, an anonymous donor and an independent diocesan foundation to boost the bishop’s salary while also fulfilling corresponding pension obligations in the years before his 2023 retirement at age 72, presumably so he could receive larger pension payments.

Howard, in his written responses to these allegations, affirmed many of the underlying facts but denied all wrongdoing. In the financial case, he argued “that each matter was transparent, was approved by lay authorities of the diocese and was properly documented.” As for the allegations of discrimination, Howard acknowledged that his theologically conservative views on homosexuality and same-sex marriage “have not shifted over time,” but he denied discriminating against the complainant.

A three-day Title IV hearing is scheduled to start April 30 unless Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe, in consultation with all parties, reaches an accord with Howard. Such an agreement to resolve the matter would be subject to approval by the church’s Disciplinary Board for Bishops.

Rowe issued a brief statement on the matter while announcing that the documents had been released. “Negotiations among the parties are now underway with the hope that we can reach an accord that promotes healing, repentance, forgiveness, restitution, justice, amendment of life and reconciliation, in accordance with the values that guide the Title IV process,” Rowe said, quoting partly from the church’s goals expressed in the Title IV canons.

The Rev. Sarah Minton, president of the Diocese of Florida Standing Committee, also released a statement in response to the release of the documents.

“The members of the Standing Committee received the news of these allegations against Bishop Howard with sorrow and disappointment,” Minton said. “We pray that as our diocese continues to discern the future and face the issues before us, the Title IV process will allow us to realize God’s healing and reconciliation. We pray that we can move forward together focused on our participation in God’s mission and our true identity as the Body of Christ in the world.”

Title IV of The Episcopal Church’s canons sets out standards of conduct for all ordained people in the church and provides a process for addressing allegations of misconduct. Most complaints against bishops do not rise to the level of Title IV cases, and when they do, most details typically remain confidential in the initial phases of investigation, until more public disclosure is required at the hearing panel stage.

The Howard documents were posted to The Episcopal Church’s website on active Title IV cases against bishops. The website was launched in February 2024 under orders of Rowe’s predecessor, former Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, partly in response to growing churchwide concerns over the perception that bishops were not being held to the same standards as other clergy under the church’s Title IV canons, which apply to all clergy.

In the statement of alleged offenses in the discrimination case against Howard, the complainant’s name is redacted.

Several people have notified church authorities of alleged discrimination by Howard. The allegations of anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination by Howard first generated public scrutiny with the February 2023 release of a report by the church’s Court of Review that cast doubt on the integrity of the diocese’s two 2022 elections to determine who would replace him as bishop. The winner in those two elections, the Rev. Charlie Holt, ultimately was blocked during the churchwide consent process from being consecrated as bishop, and the Diocese of Florida remains without a diocesan bishop for now.

In November 2023, the Title IV reference panel ordered an investigation into the discrimination allegations, and in June 2024 the case was referred to the Title IV hearing panel.

The second Title IV case against Howard was first revealed publicly a year ago on the church’s Title IV website. At that time, the allegations were identified only as “of a financial nature.” That case, too, was referred for an investigation and then to the hearing panel.

Howard was consecrated bishop coadjutor in 2003 and became Florida’s bishop diocesan the following year. During his nearly two decades of leadership, Howard “exercised control over material financial matters involving both his personal interests and those of the diocese, which on occasion were adverse,” according to a church attorney’s statement of alleged offenses against Howard.

It lists three specific charges. The first is “misuse of discretionary account.” The bishop’s account was intended to “fund such human needs as he deemed pressing and worthy.” In 2019, nearly $18,000 was paid from the account to three contractors making improvements to the HVAC system at Howard’s house.

After the Title IV case was initiated, Howard reportedly issued a check to the diocese labeled “reimbursement” for an amount roughly matching the amount of the contractor payments.

The second alleged offense is described as “use of foundation to recharacterize gift as assessable compensation.” Sometime before December 2013, “an understanding was reached that a wealthy donor, who insisted on anonymity” would make a large donation to the diocese’s foundation, which is incorporated as an independent nonprofit. The donor would also give Howard $120,000 a year, separate from his diocesan compensation. At the same time, the diocese’s foundation committed to paying the corresponding 18% contribution to the Church Pension Fund for Howard, treating the $120,000 as “assessable compensation.”

Over eight years, Howard reportedly received payments from the anonymous donor of at least $960,000, and the foundation was presumed to have made $172,800 in pension payments over the same period.

“The effect of the arrangement to characterize the annual gift to [Howard] as compensation from an employer, the Diocesan Foundation, was to artificially inflate the calculation of [Howard’s] assessable compensation,” the charges state. As a result, “the benefit payable to [Howard] after his retirement will be inflated,” since it is based on average compensation during his seven highest years of employment.

The case’s third alleged offense relates to “loan forgiveness on private residence,” which Howard and his wife purchased in 2004 for $850,000. At the same time, the Howards reportedly entered into a mortgage agreement with the diocese to receive a $175,000 loan to help cover the cost of the house.

The diocese “expressly contemplated the forgiveness of [Howard’s] debt without specifying any ceiling on the amounts that might be forgiven,” according to the alleged offense, and Howard’s “conflicting duties and obligations, to himself and his wife on the one hand, and to the diocese, on the other, made it imperative that there be no self-dealing or placing of personal interest above the financial interest of the diocese.”

Howard, in his written response to the allegations, countered that there was no conflict of interest in the mortgage arrangement, which was “expressly approved by resolutions of the Diocesan Finance Committee” and “fully transparent.”

Howard also denied misusing his discretionary account. He said that the money spent on home repairs in 2019 was appropriate because the diocese “had an equitable interest” in the bishop’s home, which was sometimes used for “fundraising, entertaining and business and pastoral meetings, as well as occasional lodging for diocesan guests.”

As for Howard’s unusual compensation arrangement, “there was nothing misleading or opaque,” according to the bishop, who added in his response to the charges that the additional pension payments had been discussed with and approved by a top Church Pension Group official.

– David Paulsen is a senior reporter and editor for Episcopal News Service based in Wisconsin. He can be reached at dpaulsen@episcopalchurch.org.

‘Under our disciplinary canons, a pastoral response can include actions that the respondents are required to complete as well as care for the complainants and other injured parties,” Rowe wrote, specifically citing Canon IV.6.8(a) and Canon IV.8.

Singh’s family had accused Curry and Ousley of not adequately or promptly responding to their domestic abuse allegations again Singh. Under the terms of the pastoral response, Curry and Ousley each agreed to write separate apologies to the complainants, Singh’s ex-wife and his two adult sons. Additionally, Ousley, who previously served as intake officer for Title IV complaints against bishops, will complete training in the Title IV disciplinary canons, as prescribed by Rowe. 

In addition to Title IV intake officer, Ousley had several responsibilities as leader of the Office of Pastoral Development, including assisting dioceses in bishop elections and consecrations, recruiting bishops provisional for dioceses in need of interim leadership, and ensuring bishops received adequate pastoral support. In 2023, Curry reassigned the role of Title IV intake officer to a newly created position, allowing Ousley to focus on his other responsibilities. In early November Rowe announced that Ousley would depart at the end of the year.

The presiding bishop’s office also will offer support for therapeutic and spiritual care to Singh’s ex-wife and sons in keeping with Canon IV.8.1, according to the letter. 

From left, Jebaroja Suganthy-Singh, Nivedhan Singh and Eklan Singh speak in a video on their website, Episcopal Accountability, which accuses church leaders of failing to properly respond to their abuse complaints against Bishop Prince Singh.

The Singh family’s first contacts with churchwide leaders date back at least to December 2022, when Jebaroja Suganthy-Singh sent a letter to Curry saying she and her sons felt ignored and abandoned by the church. She and Singh had finalized their divorce eight months earlier, in April 2022.

The sons, Nivedhan Singh and Eklan Singh, sent separate letters to Curry detailing the physical and emotional abuse they said they suffered at the hands of their father, dating back to when they were children.

The family went public with their allegations in June 2023, and in January 2024, they had called for an independent investigation into how Curry and Ousley handled the their allegations against Singh.

Earlier this month, Singh accepted a disciplinary accord under which Rowe suspended him for at least three more years, after which Singh could face deposition, or removal from ordained ministry, if he falls short of requirements imposed on him.

The family responded to that accord with disappointment, saying they didn’t feel it did enough to address their concerns or what they felt were systemic problems with the Title IV process. Episcopal News Service reached out by email on Dec. 30 seeking additional comment for this story. They responded by providing a letter addressed to Rowe that called his actions “deeply inadequate.” The steps taken to resolve the case against Curry and Ousley “fail to account for the gravity of their mishandling of Title IV processes” and “reflect a lack of meaningful accountability,” they said.

The Episcopal Church’s Title IV disciplinary canons apply to all clergy. Cases involving bishops follow a process at the churchwide level that is similar to the diocesan processes for cases involving other clergy.

The decision to conclude the case against Curry and Ousley with a pastoral response was made by a Title IV reference panel that included Rhode Island Bishop Nicholas Knisely, president of the Disciplinary Board for Bishops; the Rev. Barbara Kempf, the intake officer for bishop complaints, and Rowe, after he became presiding bishop on Nov. 1. 

Rowe, in his letter, said the panel made the decision after reviewing an independent investigation requested by an earlier reference panel that was received in late September. “I ask for your continued prayers that God’s power will bring healing and reconciliation to everyone involved in this painful situation,” Rowe said.