Before July 1, 2011, clergy disciplinary matters were brought to the bishop or the Standing Committee of the diocese.  Effective July 1, 2011, under the revised canons, all matters are now reported to an intake officer (find contact information below).  Matters might then be resolved through pastoral care, mediation, an agreement with the bishop, an investigation or any combination of these.  An investigation may result in formal mediation, and, if necessary, a hearing.

The process now allows for resolution through whatever means will move those affected toward justice, restitution, amendment of life, repentance, healing, forgiveness and reconciliation.  This can include a variety of interventions for all involved and, if necessary, the suspension or removal of the cleric from ordained ministry.

The Title IV canons are available here.

Title IV training material, courtesy of the Diocese of Connecticut, is available here.

An outline of Title IV standards of conduct for clergy, also courtesy of the Diocese of Connecticut, is available here.

Clergy standards of conduct:

Members of the clergy should:

• Maintain confidentiality
• Safeguard property and funds of the church
• Conform to the canons of the Episcopal Church and the rubrics of The Book of Common Prayer
• Abide by ordination vows
• Obtain consent of the bishop before engaging in secular employment
• Obtain consent of the bishop to be absent from the diocese for more than two years

Members of the clergy should not:

• Engage in sexual misconduct (includes sexual behavior with:  a member of the congregation; employee; volunteer; person in high school; person under 18 years of age; person legally incompetent; someone with whom the clergy has ever had a pastoral relationship)
• Hold or teach any doctrine contrary to that held by the Episcopal Church
• Commit criminal acts
• Engage in dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation
• Habitually neglect public worship, Holy Communion
• Engage in any conduct unbecoming a member of the clergy

Contacting the intake officer:

Anyone may contact the diocesan intake officer to report concerns about the behavior of a member of the clergy (priests, deacons, bishops).  This initiates a process to hold clergy accountable for their behavior.

Intake officers in the Diocese of Los Angeles are:

The Rev. Thomas Quijada-Discavage
tdiscavage@ladiocese.org
213.482.2040, ext. 220

The Rev. Norma Guerra
nguerra@ladiocese.org
213.482.2040, ext. 222

The intake officer will:

• Listen with respect
• Offer pastoral care and response
• Create a written report regarding the concern(s) presented
• Answer questions about the process

Please note: Members of the clergy are required to report to the intake officer anything that may constitute an offense and to cooperate with the clergy disciplinary process. 

Members of the Diocesan Disciplinary Board

The Rev. Canon Robert Edwards
Rector, St. Margaret’s Church, San Juan Capistrano

The Rev. Canon Jamesetta Hammons
Deacon, Holy Faith Church, Inglewood

Canon Ann Seitz
Member, Immanuel Church, El Monte

Sister Patricia Terry
Member, St. Cross Church, Hermosa Beach

The Rev. Michael Bell
Director of Pastoral Services, PIH Health Good Samaritan Hospital, Los Angeles

The Rev. Canon Brad Karelius
Retired rector, Church of the Messiah, Santa Ana

Canon Bruce Linsenmayer
Member, St. Mark’s Church, Altadena

The Rev. Canon Ada Yuk-Ying Wong-Nagata
Retired

Mr. Stephen James
Member, St. Clement’s Church, San Clemente

Canon Jim Alexander
Member, St. Andrew’s Church, Ojai

Ms. Lucina Moses
Member, St. Andrew’s, Fullerton

The Rev. Elizabeth Rechter
Executive Director, Stillpoint, Pasadena

Thanks to the dioceses of Massachusetts and Connecticut for providing resources for these pages.