CENTRAL NEW YORK: Episcopal Priest Faces Two Charges of being a Pedophile
Former St. Paul's Priest Allegedly Renounces Orders then Retracts Confession

By David W. Virtue

 
SYRACUSE, NY (4/3/2006)--A retired Episcopal priest in the Diocese of Central New York who was accused of pedophilia by another priest, has apparently confessed his crimes and allegedly renounced his orders to Bishop Gladstone "Skip" Adams and Fr. John Martinicchio, Chairman of the sexual abuse, "Pastoral Response Team". However, he later retracted his confession. The bishop has allegedly threatened a presentment against him.

The priest who revealed the alleged sexual activities of the priest Fr. Ralph Johnson is Fr. David Bollinger, priest for 20 years at St. Paul's, Owego, NY. He himself has been inhibited by the bishop for alleged financial irregularities and for allegedly whistle blowing on Fr. Johnson.

Chris Peterson a vestryman at St. Paul's, Owego, NY, told VirtueOnline, that Johnson, now living in Gibson, PA got a visit recently by Bishop Adams and Fr. John Martinicchio, rector of Christ Church, Binghamton, where the priest allegedly confessed his crimes and renounced his orders during this meeting. This confession supports the allegations that were raised over two years ago by Fr. David Bollinger, then rector of St. Paul's.

Peterson wrote VirtueOnline saying that when a second person came forward with allegations of sexual misconduct of several decades ago, the Diocese of Central New York obtained the services of a forensic psychologist, who verified that the allegations were, in fact, true.

Bishop Adams and Father John Martinicchio, the head of the Diocesan Response Team, then visited Johnson, the accused priest, at his home in Gibson, Pennsylvania.

"Fr. Johnson signed a paper in which he relinquished his position as a priest in the Episcopal Church. It is not known whether this paper contained any explicit admission of guilt. But priests have three days in which to reconsider resignations. And Fr. Johnson rescinded his resignation within those three days. The Diocese is now working on a second paper, which, it is hoped, Fr. Johnson will sign. If not, we are told, the Diocese will then seek a Presentment against Fr Johnson," said the vestryman.

All parties concerned are receiving professional care at Diocesan Expense, said Peterson. "Damages are not being sought; merely, an acknowledgment from the Church that what happened, actually happened."

When I approached Fr. Martinicchio about what took place, VOL was told, "I have no comment. I am not going to discuss the situation." Bishop Adams did not respond immediately to an E-mail about the situation. But Ms. Kathleen McDaniel, Executive Assistant to the Bishop responded to the e-mail sent to Bishop Adams with a copy to VOL saying; "Sorry to have to bother you (bishop) with this. I was tempted to delete it. Then I was tempted to send a reply on your behalf and simply say, no." The bishop did not personally respond.

Later Bishop Adams did respond to VOL and said this: "Your inquiry is inappropriate and it would be correspondingly inappropriate for me to respond."

But Fr. David Bollinger the ousted priest from St. Paul's was under no such restriction. He told VOL, "I believe I have been inhibited as a punishment for trying to seek the truth about Johnson's alleged pedophile activities when I received an affidavit from one of 16 victims of my parish charging the former parish priest with sexual abuse."

Bollinger sent the signed complaint to the bishop and pastoral response team. As a result of doing this, and because he blew the whistle on the former parish priest, the bishop turned on Bollinger and inhibited him and then accused him of misusing his Discretionary Fund.

FULL STORY at
http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=3843