Local Church Retreat Being LED by Convicted Sex Offender

By Hope Jensen
WRDW
February 11, 2012

http://www.wrdw.com/news/headlines/Local_Church_retreat_being_led_by_convicted_sex_offender_139139464.html?ref=464

A convicted sex offender is leading a spiritual retreat at a local church. Lynn Bauman plead guilty to indecency with a child by contact and inducing a sexual performance by a child.

An Augusta church is raising some eyebrows both locally and nationally because of a spiritual retreat. It's not the subject matter that has some upset, but instead the sex offender here to lead it.

The Episcopal Convent of Saint Helena is hosting a guest speaker, Reverend Lynn Bauman. A little over a decade ago, Bauman plead guilty to sexual contact with a young boy, also on a church retreat.

The brochure for the event features a photo and list accomplishment after accomplishment of Bauman. It lists him as a teacher, an author, a retreat master and many more. But it does not mention his criminal history.

In 1999 Bauman plead guilty to indecency with a child by contact and inducing a sexual performance by a child. His victim was 8 years old.

The church is refusing to comment about it. All they would say is that leaders have known about his past for more than 20 years.

Another group, however, had plenty to say. "If they're going to invite him the least they can do is tell people hes a convicted child molester," said Barbara Dorris, Outreach Director for the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. SNAP is a national organization and they have taken a strong interest in St. Helena's decision to have Lynn Bauman as the speaker.

"We feel there are hundreds and hundreds of well-qualified people who could lead a retreat and there is absolutely no need to give a convicted child molester a position of prominence and trust in this community," said Dorris.

She doesn't feel any better that this weekends retreat is for adults only. "What's to stop him from befriending a family, someone who says this man lead a great retreat, and inviting him home to meet their family or striking up a friendship with him and then exposing their children to him."

Dorris thinks it's important to forgive, but to never forget. "It's dangerous, it's reckless and places children needlessly at risk," said Dorris.

For now, it remains a spiritual retreat that's putting the clergy sex abuse scandal back under the microscope.

The church would not comment about the retreat or Bauman. When approached by a News 12 reporter, they asked her to leave and not come back. The retreat is going on all weekend and Lynn Bauman is leading it.