Indecent Assault Victim Relieved at Priest's Resignation

By Robert Hiltz
Canada.com
February 2, 2012

http://www.canada.com/Indecent+assault+victim+relieved+priest+resignation/6093788/story.html

OTTAWA - Anglican priest Rev. Wayne Lynch, convicted of indecent assault in 1999 for incidents that occurred in the '70s, resigned from a church Thursday that recently allowed him to join in eucharist celebrations.

Lynch's victim said Thursday he's relieved by the resignation but he can't understand why he wasn't involved in the decision to bring the priest to Annapolis Royal's St. Luke's Anglican Parish in the first place.

Glenn Johnson, who was sexually assaulted by Lynch when he was 14 years old, says the decision to give restricted duties to Lynch without any consultation with him doesn't make sense.

``I don't understand how they would do that without involving anybody in the church, particularly his victims,'' Johnson said. ``If there's to be reconciliation then you involve everyone.''

Johnson said he was relieved when he found out Thursday afternoon that Lynch had resigned from his limited duties in the church.

``I don't want any young kid to have to go through what I went through. I've been living with this now for over three decades and it's just too much for a kid to have to go through,'' Johnson said. ``I'm glad that he's done the right thing and stepped aside.''

He said it was unfortunate that it took public pressure and media attention for Lynch to resign.

Johnson's understanding was that after Lynch had served his sentence that would be the end of his involvement with the church. ``(Lynch) would be defrocked and he would no longer be a priest and no longer be a threat to anyone else,'' he said.

``He's a convicted pedophile.''

Johnson was informed of the resignation by the acting bishop for the diocese of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, Rev. Don Cutler, in an email after Johnson inquired why he wasn't informed of Lynch's renewed role.

``Today, Wayne Lynch submitted his resignation from any and all participation in the life of the parish of Annapolis. The resignation has been accepted,'' Cutler wrote.

Johnson said that now that Lynch resigned from leading church functions, the parish could still work with him as a member of the church.

``There's no reason he can't be involved in some other way with the church. We just want to make sure there's not going to be any chance he's going to be around children,'' he said.

Johnson, in his email to Cutler, wrote that he still suffers effects from the assault including depression and he wanted an explanation for why Lynch would be allowed to lead any services in a church.

In his reply, Cutler said before his resignation Lynch had been performing minimal duties every third month to celebrate the eucharist.

``He has not been permitted to exercise any other function or take any other leadership or pastoral role,'' Cutler wrote. ``There has been no intention by the diocesan bishop, and no expectation on Wayne Lynch's part, that he would ever have a licence from the diocese or be appointed as parish rector or employed in any other capacity again.''

Johnson said that there could be some good to come out of the publicity surrounding Lynch.

``I hope that at least by exposing the case that if there are any kids out there who are in any kind a situation they're placed in jeopardy because of an adult authority figure, I hope that they'll tell somebody,'' Johnson said.

Johnson worked for Postmedia News at one time.

Contact: rhiltz@postmedia.com