The recusal -- the first official acknowledgment that such an investigation is under way -- comes at a time when Curry is recuperating from emergency brain surgery. He underwent his second surgery for a subdural hematoma in just over a month on January 6. His surgeon reported that the most recent surgery was successful, and the church announced January 11 that he had been sent home from the hospital.

Meanwhile, a senior staff member in the Diocese of Central New York was arrested January 6 for allegedly driving while intoxicated, and a former lay leader in the Diocese of Ohio faced her first court hearing January 8 on child-pornography charges.

"In light of my current pastoral relationship with Bishop Curry and his family during this challenging time," Gray-Reeves wrote, "I have concluded that I must disqualify myself from serving as part of the Title IV process addressing allegations against him." She designated the Rt. Rev. Herman Hollerith IV, the former bishop of Southern Virginia, to oversee the proceedings involving Curry and Ousley.

Reached by telephone, Hollerith said he has not yet had time to become familiar with the details of the case, and would not be able to discuss it in any event. Title IV proceedings are intended to be confidential.

The letter was addressed to the adult sons and ex-wife of Bishop Prince Singh, who in September resigned as bishop provisional of two dioceses in Michigan the day after being inhibited from ordained ministry. Curry and Ousley have been accused of "a pattern of habitual neglect of ministerial duties without good cause" by Jebaroja Singh, the bishop's ex-wife, and his sons Nivedhan and Elkan Singh. They allege that Prince Singh subjected them to "a decades-long pattern of lying, domestic abuse (including domestic violence against children), and untreated alcoholism." They have waged a very public campaign to hold Singh accountable since June 2023, when they first called for Curry's resignation.

In response to the message from Gray-Reeves, Jebaroja, Nivedhan, and Elkan Singh released a statement reading in part, "we must express our profound concern and reassert the necessity for an independent, third-party investigation into these allegations. The appointment of Bishop Hollerith, despite his known connections with Bishop Prince Singh, only intensifies our apprehension about potential conflicts of interest and the lack of impartiality in the process."

Public Affairs Officer Amanda Skofstad said the church would have no comment about the Title IV matter beyond Gray-Reeves's letter.

The Singhs say Curry failed to respond appropriately after learning of the accusations against Prince Singh in December 2022. "Title IV requires all members of the clergy to promptly report all suspected offenses committed by a clergyperson to an Intake Officer. Failure to do so is itself a Title IV offense," the Singhs wrote, in a widely distributed, 19-page letter dated December 28, 2023.

Ousley was serving as the intake officer for bishops when the Singhs first raised their allegations. The Singhs say Curry and Ousley both failed to pursue the Title IV process despite the very low threshold for initiating an investigation. Canon IV.6.7 mandates such an investigation in the face of allegations against a member of the clergy that "if true, would constitute an Offense."

In June, the church announced the appointment of the Rev. Barbara Kempf to serve in the new position of intake officer for bishops, meaning that a non-bishop will be the first gatekeeper for allegations against a bishop.

The Singhs's letter has not been publicly reported, after being emailed to dozens of bishops during the dead zone between Christmas and New Year's. It contained little new information, but appears to have prompted Gray-Reeves's recusal. Gray-Reeves told the Singhs that their letter "was received by some, but not all, Bishops of the Church. Accordingly, I am providing this letter as well as your December 28, 2023 letter to the Bishops of the Church to keep them apprised of the matter." Both letters are linked at the bottom of this article.

The episode underscores the inherent difficulty of resolving allegations against bishops via Title IV of the church canons. The House of Bishops is a congenial network of friends and colleagues. The bishops consult one another frequently, and make a point of being supportive publicly even when they disagree.

In recusing herself, Gray-Reeves cited language from Title IV saying "[a]ny Bishop ... exercising authority under this Title shall disqualify herself or himself in any proceeding in which the Bishop's impartiality may reasonably be questioned." Gray-Reeves has long been a member of Curry's inner circle.

In 2023, Curry recused himself from Title IV proceedings against two bishops, including Singh, whose case is being overseen by the Rt. Rev. Clifton Daniel III, the former Bishop of East Carolina. After Bishop Ed Konieczny was accused of inappropriate physical contact by President of the House of Deputies Julia Ayala Harris, Curry ceded jurisdiction to the Rt. Rev. Dena Harrison, a former suffragan bishop of the Diocese of Texas. The Konieczny case was resolved when the church attorney, the equivalent of a secular prosecutor, referred it for "a pastoral response in lieu of discipline," a move that Ayala Harris denounced as "an obvious abuse of discretion."

Title IV for bishops undoubtedly will be a major focus of the next General Convention, to be held in June in Louisville, Kentucky. A social media firestorm erupted over the Labor Day weekend last year after Ayala Harris first made her accusations of misconduct by a bishop, whom she did not identify. More than 50 bishops signed a statement saying "We are angered by and deeply concerned about the perception -- or the reality -- that bishops get a free pass on behavioral issues." The online discussion ended abruptly when TLC revealed that Konieczny, a prominent bishop, was the subject of the accusations.

The House of Bishops discussed the matter at length at a previously scheduled meeting in late September, but took no concrete action. The bishops gave thanks for the call by the presiding bishop for "the Standing Commission on Structure, Governance, Constitution and Canons to review the Title IV disciplinary process, listen to the concerns and hopes of the church, identify what has worked and what needs improvement, and make recommendations to the next General Convention."

FOR MORE CLICK HERE: https://livingchurch.org/2024/01/12/crusty-old-dean-faces-drunk-driving-charge/