Penthouse isn\u2019t known for its religion coverage.<\/p>\n\n
Still, the Episcopal Church establishment went into damage- control mode this week as the soft-porn magazine\u2019s latest issue hit news stands, featuring news of an alleged clergy sex ring in the Diocese of Long Island. It\u2019s the latest twist in the convoluted story of the Episcopalians and their evolving teachings on sex.<\/p>\n\n
The expose centers on the testimony of Wasticlinio Barros and Jairo Pereira, two Brazilian males in their mid-20s. They say they were brought to America and pressed into joining sexual orgies led by the Rev. William Lloyd Andries at the altar of St. Gabriel\u2019s Parish in Brooklyn.<\/p>\n\n
Barros and Pereira provided credit card receipts and other records as evidence of their travels and affairs with Andries. Eventually Pereira was baptized and then united with Andries in a same-sex union rite. Yes, Penthouse has photographs of both the ceremony and the sexual romp that followed. In one X-rated scene, Andries appears to be wearing liturgical garb.<\/p>\n\n
There\u2019s much more to this story of sex, money, cocaine and the \u201cboys from Brazil,\u201d writes former Washington Post gossip reporter Rudy Maxa. \u201cThey were playthings for priests whose commitment to the Scriptures had long ago been replaced by a pursuit of pleasure that would have fit nicely in Sodom and Gomorrah.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
Actually, this suggests that Penthouse has a more conservative view of the Bible than can currently be defended under Episcopal law. In May, an Episcopal court ruled that the church has no law or \u201ccore doctrine\u201d that forbids the ordination a those sexually active outside of marriage. Right now, local bishops call the shots.<\/p>\n\n
This raises questions more shocking than the Penthouse expose. If Barros has no proof he was given drugs, and if those involved in these complicated sexual relationships were consenting adults, and if church money wasn\u2019t used, and if Episcopal \u201ccore doctrines\u201d don\u2019t forbid sex outside of marriage or define \u201cmarriage,\u201d then what did Andries do that was wrong? Was he merely guilty of trusting someone with a camera? Are charges pending?<\/p>\n\n
Nevertheless, Long Island Bishop Orris Walker, Jr., quickly announced that Andries had resigned from the priesthood and that Penthouse\u2019s charges would be investigated. A church official told Newsday that Andries had \u201cdenied many\u201d of the allegations.<\/p>\n\n
Other questions remain. Barros said he first met Andries in Buenos Aires, where the priest was traveling with another priest, the Rev. Harold Williams. Later, Barros flew to New York to begin what he thought was a job as a translator in Andries\u2019 multicultural parish. It was Williams, he noted, who picked him up at the airport and drove him to stay with Andries.<\/p>\n\n
This is a provocative detail, since Williams directs the U.S. church\u2019s ministries with children. Presiding Bishop Edmond Browning was shown the Penthouse article on Oct. 24 and immediately placed Williams on administrative leave, even though Barros specifically said he didn\u2019t know if Williams was involved with the sex ring. Apparently, Barros and Pereira did provide other names, including that of the priest who performed the marriage rite. But Penthouse didn\u2019t name those who hung up when called for interviews.<\/p>\n\n
Another crucial question: How much did the bishop know? Maxa writes that while Walker denied \u201cpersonal involvement with any of the boys from Brazil\u201d he did say that he had \u201cseen them around.\u201d As for the wedding, Walker said it \u201cwould be dishonest to say that I don\u2019t know that there are those services going on.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
Walker told Penthouse that he didn\u2019t investigate earlier reports about Andries, in part because so many rumors circulate in the church. Episcopalians, stressed the bishop, are in the midst of heated debates about sexuality.<\/p>\n\n
That\u2019s a fact. The debate will only heat up as events rush towards July\u2019s General Convention in Philadelphia.<\/p>\n\n
\u201cIn the absence of canonical action by the whole church, these kinds of issues have been left to the local church. \u2026 Obviously, we\u2019re going to try again in Philadelphia,\u201d said Episcopal spokesman Jim Solheim, referring to efforts to pass laws clarifying church teachings. \u201cRight now, the sleaze factor is so heavy. This kind of incident isn\u2019t going to make things any easier for us.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Penthouse isn\u2019t known for its religion coverage. Still, the Episcopal Church establishment went into damage- control mode this week as the soft-porn magazine\u2019s latest issue hit news stands, featuring news of an alleged clergy sex ring in the Diocese of Long Island. It\u2019s the latest twist in the convoluted story of the Episcopalians and their […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":610,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-937","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n