Fr. Moyer Loses Fraud Case Against Bishop Bennison

http://www.livingchurch.org/news/news-updates/2008/10/27/fr-moyer-loses-fraud-case-against-bishop-bennison

[The Living Church] 28 Oct 2008--A 12-member jury in Montgomery County Court (Pa.) found Oct. 24 that fraud did not “pervade” the decision-making process in the Diocese of Pennsylvania in 2002 when Bishop Charles E. Bennison, Jr., removed the Rev. David Moyer from the ordained ministry of The Episcopal Church.

Bishop Bennison declared that Fr. Moyer had abandoned the communion of the church after he prohibited the bishop from making a pastoral visit to the Church of the Good Shepherd, Rosemont, where Fr. Moyer is rector.

Fr. Moyer sued Bishop Bennison, seeking unspecified damages for loss of employment and mental anguish. During the four-day civil trial, John Lewis, Fr. Moyer’s lawyer, presented documents implying that Bishop Bennison concealed from Fr. Moyer his plan to remove him without a church trial.