UPDATE: Complete statements given at Diocesan Convention can be read here or viewed on Facebook livestream.
As the Diocese of Oregon gathers for its Annual Convention The Oregonian reports that a lawsuit has been filed against the Bishop and the Diocese.
From The Oregonian
A former employee of the Episcopal Diocese of Oregon has filed an $845,000 lawsuit against the diocese and Bishop Michael Hanley, claiming the bishop physically assaulted a female priest and misused money donated by the deceased grandmother of Mayor Ted Wheeler.
Mary Macy, who was the top finance officer for the diocese, claims she was fired from her job last year because she spoke up about Hanley, the diocese’s leader who oversees more than 70 churches with 15,000 congregants in western Oregon.
Macy claims in her lawsuit filed Tuesday that Hanley allegedly assaulted the Rev. Margaret McMurren in Salem while he visited her congregation, Prince of Peace Episcopal Church, three years ago.
Read it all here.
The Diocese responds:
Many of you may have now seen the news of a lawsuit filed against the Diocese of Oregon and Bishop Michael Hanley by Mary Macy.
Ms. Macy was an employee of the Diocese of Oregon. The Diocese (or any employer for that matter) will not comment on confidential personnel matters, so we are unable to comment on the circumstances of her leaving the Diocese. We can confirm that there have been multiple independent investigations by the Diocese into the allegations made by Ms. Macy.
Ms. Macy’s claims for whistle-blowing and employment discrimination were, as her complaint acknowledges, investigated by the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industry and dismissed. Ms. Macy’s further allegations were investigated by The Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States and the Standing Committee of the Diocese of Oregon and were dismissed.
The Diocese believes that Ms. Macy’s allegations are unfounded and will defend the lawsuit vigorously.
A letter will be going out to the Diocese later today. The Diocese is meeting in Convention this weekend beginning tomorrow, Friday, October 27.
The full complaint is here.
Video from Diocesan Convention, Bishop, Standing Committee, Board of Trustees here
Posted by the Rev Ann Fontaine – I live in the Diocese of Oregon and am licensed by the Bishop of Oregon to serve in Oregon but am canonically resident in the Diocese of Wyoming.