Friends,
My plans are to protest outside Grace Church on Ash Wednesday. But it strikes me as ironic that dozens of parishioners will do the whole Ash Wednesday thing — “Dust thou art, and to dust thou shalt return” — with no concept of the underlying irony.
As Episcopal priest and author the Rev. Robin Hammeal-Urban notes in her excellent book, Wholeness After Betrayal, Restoring Trust in the Wake of Misconduct, it is essential when a clergy or lay leader abuses the trust placed in her/him that the truth be told. Without it, one cannot be in right relationship with oneself, with others, or God. And one who knows, or has reason to know the truth, and fails to share the truth in essence lies by omission.
With that in mind, there’s ample evidence that former rector Bob Malm committed perjury. Indeed, even when threatened with a defamation suit by the church, and knowing that she was dying, my Mom stood her ground, refusing to back down in her criticism of Bob’s actions. Nor has Bob Malm produced even a shred of evidence to support his claim, made in writing, under oath, while advised by church attorney Jeffery Chiow, that Mom or someone purporting to be her ever contacted him to set up an appointment — a statement that goes to the very heart of his claim that he was threatened,
Now, the diocese actually is trying to defend its conduct, and that of Bob Malm, in court. The fact that it is doing so shows what the diocese’s real priorities are, and they are not truth, justice and reconciliation.
This Lent, please continue to help spread word of this egregious abuse of power. Please continue to share my petition and tell the parish, diocese and Susan Goff that bullying the dying is not acceptable. Clergy who commit perjury are not acceptable. And turning a blind eye to clergy misconduct is not acceptable.
Together, let’s make a difference.