Church Pushes Priest's Parole, Priest Later Sexually Abuses Woman

The Episcopal Diocese of California pushed had for the parole of James Tramel, a convicted murderer, in 2006. Why? Because while in prison James Tramel became an Episcopal priest. Upon his parole the church paraded him before the press and politicians, but now the church is shying away from similar attention because Tramel has been accused of sexually abusing a parishioner who came to him for counseling.

"They didn't give an honest depiction of this man," said the victim, a 36-year-old San Francisco resident. ...The victim said the diocese and its current bishop, the Rt. Rev. Marc Andrus, failed to supervise him adequately. "I feel like the reason they rushed him was because he was such a compelling story," said the woman. ...

While in prison, Tramel earned a business degree and a master's degree in theology from the Church Divinity of the Pacific in Berkeley, the Episcopal seminary. He was ordained by then-Bishop William Swing in 2005. He became a member of Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Berkeley and as a clergyman gave sermons via telephone there every few months.

Swing used his 2005 Easter sermon to call Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger a "90-pound moral weakling" for refusing to parole Tramel earlier. And when Tramel was released, Swing referred to Tramel's transformation as proof of the resurrecting power of Jesus Christ.

Tramel's parole in March 2006 was bitterly fought by Edward Stephenson, 79, the father of the murder victim. He's not surprised that Tramel is accused of taking advantage of a vulnerable parishioner after being paroled. "He's a manipulator," Stephenson said. "The church wanted to show that he was a real good guy," Stephenson said. "You've got a lot of people behind him with a lot of power."

Source: San Francisco Chronicle

So, will Episcopal leaders start using Tramel as an example of the power of Jesus' love for all humanity? How about "God so loved the world that he sent priests to sexually abuse women and children"? That's harsh, I know, but given the extent to which Christian clerics abuse their power for sexual gratification — and the extent to which their superiors excuse it or cover it up — it's hardly unfair.

The Episcopal diocese doesn't dispute the allegations — on the contrary, they openly admit that James Tramel did indeed abuse his power and commit "sexual misconduct." They have suspended him for two years, but after that time he is free to apply for reinstatement and thus serve as a priest again. Given their standards last time, it's hard to see how he wouldn't be successful.

In an apparent effort to make a bad situation even worse, the Episcopal diocese has decided that the only thing it owes the victim here is more "spiritual counseling" — the same sort of "counseling" which allowed her to be abused in the first place. Somebody, please call the diocese main office and tell them to throw away the Catholic manual on how to handle sexual scandals.

The victim has asked for $265,000 for therapy and to move from her rent-controlled apartment, which is near the Bush Street church, where the relationship started. She also asked that Tramel be prohibited from resuming priestly duties.

The diocese countered with an offer for "spiritual support" - an offer the victim said infuriated her because it would replicate the situation in which she was taken advantage of.

But the diocese is adamant about its stand. "That's the only thing the diocese felt - and feels - it owed to her," said Lawrence Lossing, the diocese's outside counsel.

The victim said she wanted to go to church because she was a struggling alcoholic. God or "a higher power" plays a key role in 12-step recovery programs, but she says she didn't understand the concept. She thought going to church would help.

She chose Trinity, the oldest Episcopal church on the West Coast. When she started attending Trinity in 2007, Tramel encouraged her to come to him for counseling, and they began having sex, she says and the church acknowledges. Sex between a priest and a parishioner he or she counsels is against church laws, with no exceptions. The victim says she feels like Tramel manipulated her into the situation.

I think that can be legitimate disagreement over whether the victim here is owed money so she can move away from the area where the church is located. I can understand why she'd want to leave, but I'm also not sure that it's something which the church should be funding. It's probably not unreasonable to expect her to simply avoid the church when she is out and about in her local community.

However, I think it's quite legitimate for her to be able to expect them to underwrite therapy — legitimate therapy with a licensed therapist who is trained to help people who have been abused and who is subjected to rigorous oversight by accountable authorities. You know, therapy which is completely different from what these Christians offered her in the first place and from what they are trying to get her to agree to again.