Priest Gets Episcopal Church Apology After Law Suit

Oct 1, 2008
By WKBW Directors

It all started at St. James Episcopal Church in Batavia in October of 2004. Then Canon or Father Simon Howson was accused of stealing church funds, forging church documents and misrepresenting himself. He was publicly removed from the church and the priesthood, no longer aloud serve. Today, 5 years later, his law suit against the church and bishop of the Buffalo Diocese is settled. Howson says he is finally publicly exonerated and the diocese is apologizing. "The bishop has stepped up and he's going to apologize in writing for what happened to Simon Howson." said attorney Andrew Fleming.

"You asked me how I feel," said Howson. "Numb. Numb." Howson filed a same sex discrimination and retaliation suit claiming Bishop Michael Garrison removed him from the church after he complained, that an admitted homosexual Episcopalian priest, now serving in Massachusetts, was sexually harassing him with unwanted advances. Howson is heterosexual. "Simon is a man of God. This was very difficult for him in a sense that this was very challenging to his faith journey." said Fleming. the rest