Bishop Denies I-Team Access to Meeting

The Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of California, San Francisco’s William Swing, is holding a town hall meeting tonight at St. John’s in Clayton. One parishioner tells us, “It’s going to be a massacre.” No one is happy with Swing’s handling of the John Bennison matter. On the one side, parishioners are upset that Swing removed Bennison from St. John’s, even though we revealed the priest’s history of sexual misconduct from the 1970’s. They believe Bennison should have remained pastor at St. John’s, because there have been no recent complaints. On the other side, some parishioners are upset that Swing allowed Bennison to continue working at St. John’s, even after the bishop saw a full accounting of the sexual misconduct during a church investigation in 1993.

Bishop Swing has been less than forthcoming with us during our reporting. He’s refused several requests for an interview, and today, he’s refusing to allow us into the town hall meeting. Through his spokesman, Swing says this is a private event to help the congregation heal. After receiving that answer, we asked – one more time – for an interview with the bishop. We’ll tell you his response, when it comes.

If you believe Bishop Swing should answer our questions, or if you’d just like to weigh in on the issue, here’s his e-mail address: bishop@diocal.org

Comments

[Misty Hay]

How could you be denied access to a town hall meeting? Isn't that a public meeting? He should be answering your questions.

[burbsmom1]

No surprise there that Swing's meeting was closed. Speaking as a parishoner, I can say that most of the parish feels that we've been raked over the coals by both the Diocese and by SNAP. Leave us alone, let our wounds heal without having the screeching harridans of SNAP and the press assaulting us from the back of the church while we do so. The disingenuous insistence by people like Joey Piscitelli, Dan Noyes and their groupies that they seek only to protect our children and bring public attention to a problem brings only pain and troubles and solves nothing. These are the people who so thoughtfully suggested that our priest of 24 years, however flawed, find a job at K-Mart. Did you think about the effect that might have on the people of the parish suffering through this horrible situation, or did it just feel good to see your words in print? Regardless of the individual views of parishoners on the issues relating to JB and the Diocese, the behavior of the press and the people on these boards only increases our pain as we hear the triumphal cries of outsiders who know and care nothing for the parishoners and their childrens' plight (regardless of Dan and SNAP's publicly-stated stance) over their success in driving our small but genuinely caring parish into the dust. Thanks, but no thanks, Dan. You've done your damage and had your name in lights. Joey, now you can feel like a hero as women and children weep in your wake. Go now, take your minions, pick on someone else for a while, and hope that there are no skeletons in your own closets that someone sometime with an agenda of their own might unveil some day.

[Right]

Beware the righteous like Joey (I wonder how my lawsuit is going) Piscitelli and Dan (hey Joey, anymore hot leads for me) Noyes who use their power to proclaim the truth and in the process cause more destruction.

I, too, am a parishioner and very anti abuse. I just can't bring myself to be so damned righteous that I can bring a parish to the ground because I feel like it.

You protected no one (I repeat, YOU PROTECTED NO ONE) - you were many many years too late to do that.

Instead of destroying, you should be helping. You could have used the information to gain parish support to create programs to protect people (whether or not you considered John Bennison a threat still). You could have used that to gain a wider base of support throught the Episcopalian community. What you did, instead was remove a man who has, by ALL, accounts, had a flawless 24 years at Saint John's (and please do not make comment that there are others we do not know of - after all the shit stirring you created, even the cockroaches would coming out to play had there been more) - caused INCREDIBLE pain to the parishioners (with possibly 3-4 people who were swayed by you, but had other gripes anyway, cast the parish into a doubtful future and STILL you have done NOTHING to ensure the protection of those you sought to protect.

You came, you blasphemed, you accused, you DESTROYED and you LEFT!!! Job well done. You are AS BAD, if not MORE SO than those you accuse. You are NOT a hero. Heroes SERVE. You CONSUMED.

Dan Noyes, you rock-NOT! You use the mantle of the media and the power to poke and prod and in the end you expend only enough effort to get the DIRT and not the shine of the story.

Yes, you expose bad things - but that takes little talent. You have the skills to provide a service - but what you did with this story was to air some very very old dirty laundry and take nothing else into consideration. Yes, we all know you are really after Bishop Swing - go at it! I was there that day you came. I heard what you and another parishioner were talking about while waiting to meet John. You were told that we had a special church family, but you only glitzed past that. You IGNORED 24 years of achievement in that place. Instead, you railroaded your story through. You gave impetus to your gang - (Joey) created the fire to make the weakness of bishops cave in and do something that achieves NOTHING for the protection of victims.

Notice NO OTHER major station broadcast that story. Even the Contra Costa Times more accurately reported, and covered both sides. SO why were YOU just a one sided reporter? Was it THAT important to you? DId you need a better story than grayhound coursing to put a little spit and polish to the i-team?

Well, it's done now. Bennison is gone. There will likely be NO rector for a very long time. There will likely be little or no support from the Diocese (despite assurances) and there certainly will be no support from you or Joey.

So on behalf of our little church, may God keep you safe, give you some wisdom to use your talent in a far better way than you have, and hopefully give you something of worth to look back on in your life that someone can't dissect 24 years later.

[Mary Gardiman]

Dan, I am sorry that you are not able to attend the meeting. In my book I am sick and tired of these kind of people hiding behind closed doors! But always remember God will judge them and I think they will burn in the fires of hell just like any person who has sinned in this type of sin!!
Keep up your good work, I have watched you for years and yes you are great!!

[not Mary Gardiman]

"...burn in the fires of hell just like any person who has sinned in this type of sin!!"

Oh GOD, another RIGHTEOUS one! And they are always "sick and tired of these kind of people..." but can't quite explain how they KNOW "these kind of people" enough to make a judgement.

SAD, lady. SAD!

[Beware the Righteous Ones]

Joe Piscitelli, the defender of the children in this case, is now embroiled in his own lawsuit - I wonder whether DAN NOYES will be covering it?

It is not going well for Joe - the defense attorney is showing evidence to discredit Joe claiming, " "I submit to you that the bizarre tale told by Mr. Piscitelli doesn't fit together," Mason said.

Mason depicted Piscitelli as a man not distressed by a priest's abuse, but upset because of an abusive father, a family history of depression and a lawsuit with his father-in-law."

"He showed a video of a previous deposition where the Piscitelli describes how Whelan groped him on a school stairway in the middle of the day. Piscitelli said he remembers screaming.

He showed the jury a photograph of the stairwell, pointing out its close proximity to the hallway. "Where are the witnesses? Where are the other students?" Mason asked.

Piscitelli never told school officials, Mason said. The attorney showed the jury a video clip of Piscitelli answering whether anyone at school knew of the abuse.

"I don't think so," Piscitelli replied."

Better hope that Joe Piscitelli does not wind up looking like a nut job, Dan because a lot of people might conclude all your news reports that involve him to be less than kosher.

Read the story here...

http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/local/states/california/contra_costa_county/14994383.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp

[Andy]

That just shows you have absolutely NO sympathy or understanding of sexual abuse. Why on EARTH would anyone make up anything like that?

[dan]

The worst thing that can happen to a child is to be sodomized, raped or abused. So what that Bennison is gone. Hey "right", instead of the "woe is me my parish is without a rector even if he is an abuser", go get another one. There are loads of people who want to serve God in a capacity such as that at St. John's.

When you interview him or her ask about their pasts. Find someone who has less toxic baggage. You're throwing shrill stones at the wrong people.

[not dan]

Read the Joe-truth and nothing but the truth...

Jury hears of abuse 35 years ago
RICHMOND: Lawyer for Salesian characterizes accusations against priest made by former student as 'bizarre tale'
By Bruce Gerstman
CONTRA COSTA TIMES

Piscitelli's allegations are not credible, Mason said in his opening statement. He projected a slide that depicted pieces of a puzzle, each in different colors, labeled with names such as, "Friends," "Experts," and "Salesian." The shapes and grooves were jumbled.

"I submit to you that the bizarre tale told by Mr. Piscitelli doesn't fit together," Mason said.

Mason depicted Piscitelli as a man not distressed by a priest's abuse, but upset because of an abusive father, a family history of depression and a lawsuit with his father-in-law.

He showed a video of a previous deposition where the Piscitelli describes how Whelan groped him on a school stairway in the middle of the day. Piscitelli said he remembers screaming.

He showed the jury a photograph of the stairwell, pointing out its close proximity to the hallway. "Where are the witnesses? Where are the other students?" Mason asked.

Piscitelli never told school officials, Mason said. The attorney showed the jury a video clip of Piscitelli answering whether anyone at school knew of the abuse.

"I don't think so," Piscitelli replied.

Wayne Mason, a Texas-based attorney representing the Salesian order for the Piscitelli case, said the plaintiff has fabricated a tale. The defense attorney pointed out that Piscitelli's good friend and sister-in-law both doubted his stories of abuse.

http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/breaking_news/15008918.htm

Better hope he doesn't turn out to be just vindictive...

"To this day he encounters trauma around male authority figures," Lobovits said.

Sounds vincidctive to me.

You ask "Why on EARTH would anyone make up anything like that?" Let's watch the truth unfold, shall we!!!!!

And Dan, how is your "toxic baggage doing?"

[not Dan]

Oh and Dan...

Dan McNevin, Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests

Let's at least be honest about the bias in your postings!!!!!!!!

Now I am really interested in what skeletons are in YOUR closet!!!

It seems SNAP, you, Joe and others like to keep posting comments as though you were strangers to each other - LIES - it looks like you should be hiding.

I look forward to seeing how Joe's case goes. And the one against his father in law.

[A Saint John's Parishioner]

This little blog started because Channel 7's Dan Noyes wanted to attend a private meeting for the parishioners of St. John's with the Bishop so Dan could continue on with his "sordid little story" and bashing of Fr. John Bennison and Saint John's parish. Give me a break. It is none of your business. It never was. You weren't invited to the very well attended party celebrating the 24 years of outstanding ministry Fr. John Bennison gave to Saint John's either. Hell, I wouldn't invite you anywhere, although there are a few places I'd certainly support sending you.

So Dan, why not pitch your tent outside Joey's courtroom and write about him for a while. You deserve each other.

[Justice]

ATTENTION DAN NOYES:

In the name of fairness and justice, you need to be covering the JOE PISCITELLI lawsuit in which his credibility has been questioned. You spent a lot of time chasing after John Bennison and now, if EQUAL attention is not put upon Joe Piscitelli, you will find accusations of bias and discrimination and questions about your journalistic integrity made by bloggers to the other news outlets. I'm sure they would find the I-Team's limited objectivity interesting.

Get with it, man, before the whole thing ends.

Here's the link for you...

http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/search/search_results.htm?pubName=cctimes&orderBy=date&pageStart=1&sitesToSearch=cctimes%2Crealcities&pageSize=10&fieldsToSearch=HEADLINE%2CFORSEARCH%2CLEAD%2CBYLINE&queryType=all&searchSelect=article&query=piscitelli

[Andy]

Let's look at the evidence:
John Bennison:
Sexually abused a 14 year old
Serial Adulterer
Victimized Women coming to him for counseling
Lied to his parish for 24 years
Refused to financially support his own children

Joey:
Involved in lawsuit
Said he was abused
Did not do anything John Bennison did.
A bit of a loud mouth.

Seems like Dan did the story on the right guy to me. The way it looks to me, the only thing Joey did was refuse to settle out of court like the other person who got $700K.

[A Saint John's Parishioner]

Andy,
Assuming you are the "real" Andy I swapped messages with before - your comments are beneath the thoughtful and caring demeanor you displayed earlier. You should not be defending Joey Piscatelli - who appears to be just another glory seeker and gold digger serving his own interests at the expense of dragging you once again through a painful period in your life and wrecking havoc on our parish and our beloved rector.
Keep in mind - in order to "settle out of court" the other party has to be willing to entertain a settlement. In this case, it appears the accused party believes the accusations are fabrications and expects to be able to win in court. Time will tell. But parading on sidewalks and getting Dan Noyes to go into Jerry Springer mode won't help Joey in court.
Fr. John Bennison and all of us parishioners at Saint John's will get on with life - albeit at a great loss due to the wreckage caused by the likes of SNAP, Joey Piscatelli and Dan Noyes.
The smartest one in all this appears to be your sister, as she gets on with her life and stays far away from the devastation initiated by SNAP, and biased reporting by Dan Noyes and channel 7. Keep the Saint John's parish family in your prayers and we will keep you and your family in ours.

[Robin]

This is so bizarre to me. They say that 1 in 3 girls and 1 in 5 boys is sexually abused in the United States. I am curious why Channel 7 and other media outlets can't be bothered to have ongoing news "specials" about dealing with abuse in the family since that is where the vast majority of it happens. I think if they start running these programs in time slots where kids can view them we might see scores of parents turned in for sexual abuse of their children. Why bother with sensationalizing a few specific cases when they can actually perform real public service around sexual abuse.

I, myself, am an abuse survivor. I was abused first by a family friend and then by an older brother. "Justice" as they seem to call dragging perps through the media and putting them in jail - does NOTHING to help a survivor to move on. Learning to not take it personally, because you didn't do anything to cause it or deserve it - and forgiveness are the things that help survivors move on.

[Andy]

Yes, my sister is one smart cookie. Read my mother's statement; she said it so beautifully that my sister is complete and did not need this to live a complete life.

Robin, my sister was the 14 year old, and she did not instigate this, and she HAS moved on. Her forgiveness is a tremendous inspiration to me.

I think I would agree that this whole process is very sad and tragic. I don't defend Joey too much; I have no idea on the merits of his case; I just don't think anyone would make that stuff up and have to go through the meat grinder. No sense in arguing about it when a jury will decide.

St. Johns IS in my prayers; we drove by there on a saturday afternoon several weeks ago, and I had no idea just how SMALL a parish it is. Like a big living room really. A porsche in that parking lot, in a neighborhood surrounded by KFCs and Pollo Locos, would really stand out. St Johns will get another good priest, there are lots and lots of them despite the suicidal bent of the current Episcopal Church. (and I say this as a liberal too).

[Not Andy]

From the Contra Costa Times today...

Test results showed that Piscitelli overreported symptoms, such as depression and anxiety, on one test and mildly exaggerated on another, Keller said.

"We have a person who was over the charts and his lawyer has to get him to go back and do more testing and he's found to be exaggerating again, but not to the same extent," Wayne Mason, a Texas-based attorney representing the Salesian order, pointed out on cross-examination.

Oh and there are no KFC's or El Pollo Locos anywhere near Saint John's - that's the other end of town. But then, there are no Porsche's there now either.

I've read your postings - it seems that while your sister may have moved on, you have not. That is sad.

[Andy]

Getting over it? Look who's talking! The man who won't let Joey go! I am responding to your rants, not instigating them.

You kind of WOULD expect a lawyer to say that Joey was exaggerating symptoms, wouldn't you? Sheesh!

There is an El Pollo Loco nearby, we used their bathroom. (Thanks, El Pollo Loco!) My point is that Clayton is not exactly Beverly Hills, or Palo Alto, or any other upper class hideaway in which fine cars are seen routinely.

You are right, no Porsche in the lot that day, but there was a BMW in the parking lot that day, far left corner in the back, backed in, sunshade in place. No other car there except an Audi I think.

[Not Andy]

Sounds like you have an obsession and are the one who cannot move on. I, at least, am involved with the place.

I won't argue the Joey case - that's the lawyers job. We can chat more about it after he loses.

El Pollo Loco is hardly nearby - you need to drive 10 minutes to get there! It's by Ace Hardware, almost at Treat, whereas Saint Johns is one block past Ygnacio the other direction.

And I will be happy to let Joe go when his case is over. That's the only thing I am watching for. Aside from that, no interest in him. I think he has demonstrated his "qualities" quite well, and certainly appears to still be "impressing" everyone in his trial.

I am sorry that you are so naive after all this time, and certainly after the experiences you have spoken of. I have seen you non-stop posting on all the blog sites, so you are hardly just responding to me. I think you are addicted to this now. That is very unfortunate.

And you said "Look who's talking! The man who won't let Joey go!" Did I say I was a man? How arrogant!

[Andy]

Not sure what happened; one of my posts and one from the man/woman who is not John Bennison have disappeared?

There is a Burger King 0.5 miles from Saint Johns, and at least 5 pizza joins less than a mile away from Saint Johns. El Pollo is 2.6 miles away.

[Andy]

Mr (or Ms) Not John Bennison,
Naiveté has always been one of my strong points! No argument there.
It was YEARS (like, 10...) after the end of the JB stuff with my sister before I ever suspected anything had gone on. Knowing John did that horrible stuff was devastating to me, I had always held him in very high regard.

And it's nice to see all we have left to argue about is the location of fast food places. (There is a Carls Jr around the corner from St Johns too..google maps...). I will give you El Pollo Loco, if you will concede Burger King and Carls Junior.

[A Saint John's Parishioner]

This is ridiculous. Why anyone equates what fast food establishments exist within what distance from Saint John's Church in relation to what car Fr. John Bennison should be driving is beyond me. On any given Sunday, you will find various styles, vintages and priced automobiles in the parking lot ranging from vintage mid 50's Thunderbirds (not mine, unfortunately), to recent model family sedans, trucks, vans, SUV's, etc., to new and expensive luxury sedans. I do not know of anyone in the parish who begrudged Fr. John his sports car "toy". It's a really nice car, but hardly the most expensive vehicle in the parking lot on any given Sunday. It most assuredly has absolutely nothing to do with anything of importance!

[Not Anyone]

Sadly you are still on that I am John Bennison thing again. He is so not interested in this crap now. The arguments are endless and achieve nothing. The damage has been done and really that subject has run its course. I would think that he would have no interest in any discussions with any of you Snapees (guilt by association in your case).

As for the cars, I concede the Burger King and Carl's Jr, but which sports car goes there?????

And I noticed the disappearing posts - not sure how that happened. Maybe Noyes is editing!!!

[FYI]

Joey Piscitelli won his trial and was awarded $600,000. Thank you Mr. Piscitelli; you are an honest and courageous man!

[FYI]

Joey Piscitelli won his trial and was awarded $600,000. Thank you Mr. Piscitelli; you are an honest and courageous man!