A full church investigation took place in 1993 in the Diocese of Los Angeles. Bishop Swing participated in the investigation. Despite admission of criminal and unethical behavior, as proven by the Episcopal Church investigation, 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 both by Bishop Swing and by ineffective Episcopal Canon Law that allows diocesan Bishops sole decision authority-autonomous ecclesiastical authority-in matters pertaining to clergy abuse.

Following is some key information of which you need to be aware:

* In a letter written in 1993 by Frederick H. Borsch, then Bishop of the Diocese of Los Angeles, Bennison admitted to a "sexual relationship" with the victim from the time she was 14 until she was 18. Some of the other victims were adult married women church members and a 19-year-old female church youth leader.

* When the Rt. Rev. Charles E. Bennison, Jr., then Rector of St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Upland, learned of the abuse in 1977, he did not tell parishioners or the minor victim's parents, nor did he investigate to find out if there were other victims (which there were). We have letters (the Presiding Bishop has copies) written by Charles E. Bennison, Jr. stating his knowledge of the abuse.

* Bennison left his position as Curate at All Saints-By-the-Sea Episcopal Church, Santa Barbara, after a year-long extra-marital affair with a 19 yr. old parishioner. John Bennison voluntarily renounced his vows of priesthood under duress of the true story coming forward. He was NOT deposed. His first wife divorced him because of his numerous infidelities, and emotional and sexual abuse.

* In 1979, Bennison was reinstated to the priesthood by the Rt. Rev. Robert Rusack (now deceased), Bishop of the Diocese of Los Angeles, and long time colleague and friend of Bennison's father, despite detailed knowledge Bishop Rusack had at that time of Bennison's sexual misconduct. The Rt. Rev. Charles E. Bennison, Jr. supported and was present at the reinstatement. The Rt. Rev. Charles E. Bennison, Jr did not notify the minor victim or her parents about the reinstatement, to which they would have objected fiercely.

* Following reinstatement, Rev. John Bennison was transferred to the Diocese of California and was under the ecclesiastical leadership of the Rt. Rev. William Swing, Bishop there from 1980 to the present. Though the Diocese of CA may not have been fully apprised at that time of Bennison's history of child sexual abuse and other known unethical activities, Rt. Rev. William Swing was thoroughly informed in 1993 during the intervention process initiated by victims in 1993, facilitated by the Rev. Canon Margo Maris and Bishop Harold Hopkins (then Executive Director of the Office of Pastoral Development of the House of Bishops), carried out in the Diocese of Minnesota. Following this intervention process, Bishop Frederick H. Borsch became involved in overseeing the disclosure that took place at St. Mark's, Upland, in October of 1993. Since 1993, Bishop Swing has had detailed knowledge of the depth and breadth of the sexual abuse and misconduct of John Bennison, yet has suppor ted R ev. John Bennison's active status as an Episcopal clergy member in parish ministry.

* By allowing Bennison to remain in practice, Bishop Swing chose to abuse his power as spiritual leader of the Diocese of California by ignoring victims' requests for justice and by defying church governance that strongly opposes clergy sexual abuse. Bishop Swing has willfully refused to remove Bennison.

* Silence is consent and by not deposing John Bennison and holding Bishop Swing accountable for his refusal to take appropriate action, the Episcopal Church is in collusion with abusers. This is an opportunity for the Episcopal Church to send a loud and clear message to Episcopal clergy members throughout the US that they will not tolerate sexual abuse and clergy misconduct-especially from one of their own.

* The Episcopal Church may think that Bennison's crimes would be forgotten if he changed dioceses and enough time passed. Bennison's crimes, along with his legacy of profound pain and loss, are not forgotten. We ask Episcopal Church Clergy and Parishioners to end their silence! We want to ensure the Episcopal Church takes a long, hard look at how they respond to clergy sexual abuse and how Ecclesiastical authority allows loopholes for perpetrators.

Bennison is an admitted molester and liar working with families and children. He must be removed and held accountable for his egregious misconduct. Not removing Bennison is tantamount to moral bankruptcy and an indictment of the Episcopal Church. The Episcopal Church has a moral and legal obligation to keep children and church members safe from clergy sexual abuse. All children and church members deserve to be free from clergy sexual abuse abuse. Allowing Bennison to remain in the clergy perpetuates abuse, pain, resentment, emotional and spiritual pain.

Our request is simple and reasonable. We ask Clergy and Parishioners to please sign this letter, or write your own letter, and forward it to the ATTENTION of:

The Presiding Bishop and Bishop Clay Matthews (Office of Pastoral Development) Phone #: 800-334-7626 FAX #: 252-635-5006 pboffice@episcopalchurch.org cmatthews@episcopalchurch.org

Joey Piscatelli, SNAP Representative Phone #: 925-262-3699 FAX #: 925-827-4918 (On behalf of "The Victims/Survivors of the Abuse of John Bennison and William Swing") CalJoey1@aol.com stopclergyabuse@comcast.net

Your signatures will serve to encourage the Episcopal Church to be a united front in sending a clear, decisive message to abusers: The Episcopal Church has zero tolerance for clergy sexual abuse and misconduct!

Thank you and we humbly ask that you pray for all those abused by clergy.

We, the Clergy and Parishioners of _________________________________, hereby state our support of the immediate removal of Reverend John Bennison from the Episcopal Church clergy, dated _____________________2006.

Signatures: