Clergy Misconduct and Discipline

Title IV: Ecclesiastical Discipline

“Title IV” refers to the section of The Episcopal Church’s Canons (laws) that addresses the grounds and processes for “ecclesiastical discipline,” a canonical process adopted by the Church to encourage accountability, reconciliation, and pastoral response when a member of its clergy (deacons, priests, or bishops) are accused of misconduct. The Episcopal Church maintains the web site TitleIV.org to provide more information. The Diocese of New Jersey maintains policies, procedures, and training materials to provide guidance.

Diocesan Intake Officer

The Rev. Canon Karin Rasmussen Mitchell serves as Diocesan Intake Officer, and is the first contact for issues of clergy misconduct.

Our Pastoral Response team includes:

The Rev. Dr. Carolyn A. Bradley, L.C.S.W., Dcn.
The Rev. Christopher M. Decatur
The Rev. Catherine P. Esposito, Dcn.
Kasi LeGrand
The Rev. Joseph Peter Luzardo, Jr., Dcn.
The Ven. Carol Ann Pepe, L.C.S.W., Dcn.

Case Archives

Episcopal Church Canon IV.13.3 provides in part that for cases that are heard by a “Hearing Panel” for adjudication, the Panel “shall make documents available to members of the Church and the Church media . . . . The documents shall be disseminated in such a way as to make them broadly known to members of the Church and the Church media. For a matter in which a Priest or Deacon is the Respondent, dissemination shall include, at a minimum, posting to the diocesan website.” This is a posting for documents filed with the Hearing Panel in cases in the Diocese since the adoption of this requirement.

Daniel E. Somers, Presbyter

Gideon A. Uzomechina, Presbyter