STANDING COMIMITTII,E

DIOCESE OF TIAITI

5 September,2.018

lJrothels and Sisters. Peace and Grace in Jcsus Chrisi.

Ma1, God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ grant pr:ace, love and faith to all our brothers and
sisters of dilferent Standing Committees and the Bishops of the Episcopal Church. For truth's
sakc, truth which is our compass, will set us free, let us clearly say that the members of the Courl
ol'Revier'v of the Second Province of the Episcopal Church are greatly mistaken in their Report
about the election of The Venerable Joseph Kerwin DrSlicat to be our Blshop Coadjutor, which
nltght lead the leaders of the dioceses of the Episcopal Church not to consent to his consecration
rrrd ordinltion.

Since 1994, Canon IIi.l 1.8(a) has provided a means of contesting an episcopal election. Shortly
alter the election of Dean D6licat of Holy Trinity Cathedral as bishop coadjutor for the Diocese
of Haiti, a number of lay and cierical delegates filed objections under this canon. This is the first
trnre this Crnon has been urilized,

Catron IfI.l1.8(a) provides little guidance as to the process to be follow".d for the investigation of
au episcopal election by a Provincial Court of Review. It does, however, identify those from
u'hom "Lesponses" may be solicited. They include only "the Bishop Diocesan, the Chancellor,
the Standing Committee and any other persons rvithin the Diocese for',vhich the Bishop was
elected." Instead, the Court of Review, a hand-pickecl, all-white "court," which was charged
u'ith the responsibility to "investigate" the allegations chalienging Episcopal election in Haiti,
chose not to concluct an investigation and not to follor.r, the express provisions of Canon
IIL l 1.8(a).

Tire Cor-rrt of Revieu'dicl not fo11ow this Canon and sirnply seek responses to the objections.
Rather, the Court of Revierv invited the objectors and others from outside of the Diocese of Haiti
to rllect rvith the court to present whatever they chose in support of tire filed objections.
N4oreover. the Diocese of Haiti repeatedlyrequested thatthe "courl" come to Haiti to interview
tile people involved, those wlio actually participated in the election, but they refused.

i he "court" ciid not act as a "coufi,"nor did it conduct a real investigaticn. The Diocese of Haiti
\\ras never permitted to see or respond to anything presented to the "coutt." The process was little
tlrore than A "star chantber," in which the result of its "investigation" was pre-ordained.

We u'ere astonishecl to see the Court refusing to come to Haiti to leam about the local meaning of
. the r anv clenunciations inside the church and outside, the identity of the protesters and the
cttiture of contestatron in election matter in the Haitian society. Its findings might be more
acceptabie l-rad they colxe and sor:ght tl-re truth instead of simply concluding tl-rat allegations of
in:egularities are "crcdible." A verypoor understanding of the so complex Haitian realilyl
 ln its Report, the Court mentioned the "ongoing divisions in the Diocese of Haiti" as a rupture i1
tire common life of the Episcopal Church leferring to a deep confiict betr.veen tl-re Bisirop of Haitr
and his fotmer Suffragan, 096 Beauvoir, who was asked to resign by the Presiding Bisirop.
Bishop JeanZache Duracin is not the problem. Bishop Duracin, the Bishop of Haiti. rvill retire
next Spring upon reaehing the mandatory retirement age of 72. Sadly, because he cannot becopc
Bishop Diocesan, the former Suffragan lvould rather prevent the process of the election,
consecration and ordination of his succesrior"

The Diocese of Haiti is the largest Diocese in the Episcopal Church, Its members are alnrost
entirely black, and it is the only black dior:ese in the Episcopal Church. None of the members ol
the Court is black. The people of the Diocese of Haiti speak fwo languages, French and Haitian
Creole. No one on the "court" spoke either language, It did not matter, because they hacl no
intention of actually investigating the fals: ailegations made by those coltesting the e lectron,

The "cotttl" did not conduct an investigation or even a hearing on the allegatrons made by those
eontesting the election" It took no testimony; made no record of its proceedings; deniecl the
Diocese of Haiti, its Standing Committee and its Bishop, the right to confront their accusers and
see any purpofted evidence of misconducl;in the election process. There was no opportunitv
to
cross-exarnine witnesses or challenge any allegation or evidence.

The President of the Court of Review is the Chancellor of the Cathedral of the Diocese of Long
Island, initially chosen to serve as President of the "coufi" bythe former presiclent of rhe Seco,ci
Province, Lawrence Provenzano, the Bish,cp of the Diocese of Long Island, Bishop provenzano
was the advisor to now resigned former B:ishop Suffragan Cg6 Beauvoir l,,,ho filecl lalse charges
against Bisirop Duracin in 2016. Bishop I'rovenzano, rvhile serving as presiclent of the SeconC
Province, pubiicly attacked Bishop Duracin, and attempted to intproperly inter{'ere ri,ith the Tjtie
IV process to deny Bishop Duracin his rights under the Canons of the Episcopal Church.

The only Bishop seruing on the "court,'o Anclrew M.L. Dietsche, Bishop of the Diocese
of Nerv
York, was also chosen by Bishop Provenziano. Although seemingly cordial ciuring tire court,s
one-day "investigation," Bishop Dietscire rlescribed Bishop Beauvoir as "a good frierrd of rrriuc.,,
Although the Diocese of Ilaiti requested that the "court" retain an independint trarrslator, they
permitted a priest who is an outspoken critic of the Diocese of Haiti a1d its Bishop, i,ith
no
direct knowiedge of anything that happened during the election, to acldress the 'cour1,, and to
ostensibly act as translator. That priest is a member of the Diocese of Nerv york, ri,ho Bishop
Dietsche also described as a "good friend."

ln its Repor-t, the Court of Review made three ,'finriings:',

" 1. The allegation that tl,e higli number of ordinations immediately prior to the
electing
convention took place in order to steer the electoral process is credible"',

"2" The allegation that the Bishop Diocesan interfered with the election, and that the elecrron
suffered from coeroion and undue influonce, is credible , There is lault on both srdes, but the
simple fact of the number and cornplexity of these allegations compouncled by the failure olt.lsr,
 suggests a r-leeply flau'ed election for rvhich the Bishop Diocesan and Standing
Committee are
chiefly responsible.'

3. \Vith respect to an allegation that the Bishop Corrrljutor-elect, the Venerable Joseph Kerwin
Ddlicat , was complicit in "a serious act of nriscondur:t by another priest of the Diocese of Haiti
.'. tt'e have been given clear documentary (sl.arnped passport) proof that Father D6licat was not in
Haiti at the time of the alleged offense, andlve have,been given sufficient evidence to
demonstrate a substantial investigation of the char:ges by the Standing Committee,,, and
fthe reibre] ''Farher D6licat is exonerated of this charg;e."

\\'ith respect to the first of these purporled "findingsr," that "the high number of ordinations
tnltllcdiately prior to the electing convention took place in order to steer the electoral process is
credible." Tiris "finding" is untrue, and it is not suppr:rted by any evidence. The diactnal
ordinations to which the Coun refers took place more than six months prior to the contested
electiot-t. The Standing Committee provided uncontrovertable documentary evidence
that each of
those ordained as deacons ,,vas in accordance with the Canons of both The Episcopal
Church and
the Diocese of Haiti. Moreover, there is no,ovidence that the partioipation oithese Deacons in
thc episcopal election rn any way affected itsr outconre.

A1l of the Vocationai (pennanent) Deacons had completed at ieast two years of Seminary
educatjon. rvere certified by the Seminary, and were r?commended for ordination
by botir the
Corlrnission on Ministry and the Standing Clommittr:i:, The Standing Committee gave the
Court
the requisite documents as to each of them, Theyserve in theirparishes without
compensation,
as is the custom throughout the Episcopai Chrirch, Iiach is r.rring in the
communities whieh
recomtuended them' Tlieir ordinations took place aftr:r completion of their theological
educatiotls and the requisite recommendations lrom the Standing Committee
and The Committee
of Chaplin Examiners (the Commission on \4inistry). Details regarding the Vocational
Deacons
is included in the Exhibits providecl to the Court.

Urlder the Cauons ol General Convention, no one can be ordajned a priest

unless hc has
post-ordination employment, All of the Transitional Deacons ordained
in 201 7 had completed at
least lblrr -vears of SeminaY Education, and ,vere recommended
for Ordination to by both the
Stancling Con"rmittee and the Commission on Ministry', The Standing
Committee gave the Court
the requisite documents as to each of them. l\s is the througihoutthe
'fransitional Deacons Srractice Episiopal Church,
are not ordained unless there is a Congregati* pr.pur.Oio cait
lanO
suppolt) the Candidate while a Deacon and after ordinLation as a Priest. AII
Deacons are working
irt the Conrmunities that recommended them Only,,,,,hs. a parish demonstrated
its abilify to
paV the Deacon and its willingness to do, were they considered
for Ordination.

All of the Deacons (vocational and n'ansitional) r.vere assigned to parishes.

br-ri one
Some assist
the priest in charge directly and some are administrat:ors of a misJion
undir the pastoral
oversighi of the priest in charge, The only er:ception is one Transitional
Deacon rvho has
obtainecl a scholarship to study in the United States.

The orclinations rvere not a part of some plot spanningseverai years

to affect a fufure episcopal
election, and tho "finding" is absurd. N4orerrver, therervas no evidence to supporl a conclusion
that any of the deacons oldained in 2017',v(rre'coerced to vote lor anyfuture cancliciate lor Bisi-rop
Coadjulor,andFatherD6licatwasnote\'enacarrciioaleatthetimeofthoseo::dinations. Infact,
he was not one of the candidates originally r ecommended for eieclion, l(ather, he u,as nominatecJ
bv peti:ion.

Witir respect to the seco:rd of these prirponcd "Snclings," that "The allegation tha::he Bis.rop
Dioce${n interfered rvith the election, anc tlrat the election suffered fiom coercion ancl undue
influence, is credible," Tiris finding is total,iy f,alse, and the Courl does not offer a single r:iece of
evidence to suppofi it, R.atherthe Couft sinrply states, "There 1s fauit on both sides, but lhe
siurple fact of the number and complexity'o1 these allegations compounded by the fajlure of trust.
suggests a deeply flawed election for whi;h the Bisirop Diocesan and Standing Commrtlee aie
chiefly responsibie," Neither Bishop Durac,in nor the Standing Committee er:gaged in anv'
condr.rct "to interfere with the election" or iii an)/way exercised "coercion and uncue influence."
Moreover, the "number and complexity of l.frese aliegations compounded by the failure of ti-;st,"
is nol a rational basis for what the Courl sta.ted rvas a "suggestion" that the election was ''flarved"
inanyway, A"failureeftrust"onbEhall'c['thosecontestingtlreelectionisnotabasisfor
concluding that the election was flawed,

The Standing Committee did every,thing possibie to insure a fair and open election, fo1Lo,,r,ing ail
of the recommendations of the Presiding Bir;hop's office and his Bishop for Pasioral
Development, Bishop'fodd Ousley It is submittcd that it is the purported o'investigatior.i" by the
Court of R.eview and its prirported "findingrir" that are Ceeply flarved.

It is in the spirit of conformity lvith the []anons of the Church, the people of Godin tho'
diocese of Haiti met in an extraordinary r;ynod 0n June 2,2018 and lawfully and prgperl-y
elected our next bishop the Very Rev, J,):;eph I(erwin Delicat, Notwiihstanding the r.epoi-t ol
the Provincial courl of Review, the electi:)n was free, honest and open,

So, We, the standing Committee of the rlir:rcese of Haiti, now ask you, then according to the
Constitution of the Episcopal Church, to consent to his consecration and ordinatjon on
January 5,2079 by His Grace The Most Flr:rv, Michael B, Curry, Presiding Bishop and primate
of the Episcopal Church,

Your presence and prayers are requeslecii,

May God biess you ail, brothers and sisters,

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