Priest’s Return Shocked Victim

By Gordon Delaney
The Chronicle-Herald
February 3, 2012

http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/58520-priest-s-return-shocked-victim

ANNAPOLIS ROYAL — A former Nova Scotia man who was sexually assaulted by an Anglican priest says he was shocked to learn his abuser had again been performing duties at a small Annapolis Royal church.

The priest resigned Thursday in the wake of the controversy.

In an interview from his Ottawa home, Glenn Johnson said he was "flabbergasted" that Rev. Wayne Lynch had been performing duties at St. Luke’s Anglican Church before his resignation.

"I would think that the church would know better."

Johnson, 48, was sexually assaulted by Lynch in the late 1970s while serving as an altar boy at All Saints Anglican Church in Brooklyn, Queens County. He was 13 at the time.

After harbouring the secret for years, Johnson went to police in 1999 and Lynch was charged with indecent assault. He pleaded guilty. The court was told at the time that Lynch, now 61, performed oral sex and masturbated him while he was in his early teens. The abuse continued for two years until he was 15.

Lynch was sentenced to house arrest for two years less a day, followed by 18 months’ probation. Johnson said he was told by the church at the time that Lynch would never be permitted to perform church duties again.

"As far as I knew, when he was convicted, part of the arrangement was that he would no longer be a priest," he said.

As news spread this week about the priest’s recent activities at St. Luke’s Anglican Church, the Right Rev. Ron Cutler confirmed Thursday that Lynch has resigned.

"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, suffragan bishop of the Diocese of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, said in an email to Johnson.

Lynch did not respond to interview requests.

Earlier Thursday, a spokesman for the group Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests said he was told that Lynch resigned in light of the controversy.

"These victims are sick and tired of everything being shoved under the rug," said Dave Mantin.

He had asked the 271 members of the group to call the Anglican diocese to complain.

"It’s just completely crazy to think you could put a convicted pedophile in front of new children and think the parish is going to allow it," Mantin said. "We have to make sure, as a society, that this doesn’t continue."

In the email, Cutler reiterated statements about Lynch’s former duties made to CTV News earlier this week.

Cutler told the television network that Lynch had slowly been regaining responsibilities over the past 10 years at St. Luke’s.

Cutler said Lynch was able to preach and read the gospel as part of Sunday liturgy, but he had no pastoral responsibilities.

With the rector’s permission, Lynch was allowed to perform marriage ceremonies, baptisms and funerals, Cutler said.

Lynch voluntarily relinquished his licence after his conviction but asked to be reinstated after he served his sentence, Cutler said.

The church believes in reconciliation "if at all possible," he said. The Anglican diocese reached an out-of-court cash settlement with Johnson in 2000 after he filed a lawsuit against the church. Under the conditions of the settlement, neither side can discuss the amount.

But Johnson said he still suffers emotional trauma from the abuse and is receiving counselling twice a week.

He said there were people in the church who had no idea they had "a pedophile doing church functions for them."

Johnson said Lynch should not have been given church duties.

Parishioner Audrey Barteaux said Thursday that she was surprised when Lynch was reinstated in the church.

"I don’t think it’s right," said Barteaux, who lives in Moschelle, near Annapolis Royal, and has been attending the Anglican church for most of her life. She is now in her 70s.

Contact: gdelaney@herald.ca