The bishop of Western Newfoundland violated misconduct policies and should re-instate a fired cathedral dean’s license to practice ministry, the provincial metropolitan says.
Archbishop David Edwards, metropolitan of the ecclesiastical province of Canada, responded June 13 to misconduct complaints Dean Catherine Short—who had served as dean and rector at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Corner Brook, Nfld. since 2018—filed against Bishop John Organ. In a livestreamed Sunday worship speech Jan. 19, Organ announced he had fired Short, prompting protests from the congregation and resignation of the vestry en masse.
In his response to Short’s complaints, Edwards determined that Organ had not conducted economic misconduct towards Short, but that he had conducted discriminatory practice in relation to her employment status, as well as emotional misconduct and bullying.
Organ’s firing of Short, and the way Organ explained his decision in widely shared remarks, “set off a chain of unhappy consequences,” Edwards said. “It has brought grief to the bishop and the dean, divided the Cathedral family, and impaired the unity and Christian witness of the wider diocesan community.”
In the interests of “Christian reconciliation and healing,” the metropolitan called for Organ to re-instate Short’s license to practice ministry as dean and rector/incumbent of St. John the Evangelist on or before June 30, 2025, along with all attendant responsibilities, privileges, renumeration and employment benefits.
With Organ having already tendered his resignation as bishop effective Oct. 1, Edwards recommended that Organ complete the remaining three months of his episcopate under sabbatical leave. He called on Organ to apologize to the dean, cathedral congregation and diocese “for the grief and distraction his hasty actions brought.”
Finally, Edwards recommended that a senior cleric previously agreed serve as an intermediary between Organ and Short, to the extent one was useful; and that provincial misconduct and safe church officer Jack Walsworth—who carried out the investigation of Short’s complaints—visit the vestry or diocesan synod to share his perspectives of the investigation should they deem it helpful.
Beyond the specific case of Organ and Short, Edwards made broader recommendations. He suggested that the diocesan synod of Western Newfoundland consider adapting and adopting the model Safe Church Regulation and Misconduct Policy found on the ecclesiastical province of Canada’s website.
Edwards said Western Newfoundland’s diocesan charter “consists of worthy generalizations and thoughtful discussions but is deficient on the nuts and bolts of investigation. It cannot be applied practically without some future amending.” By comparison, he said, the provincial Safe Church Regulation and Misconduct Policy allowed for investigation of complaints against a diocesan bishop.
In addition, Edwards recommended that the diocese seek access to an online training course on misconduct and safe church policies to provide periodic, compulsory training for those holding ministry licenses, as well as volunteers in leadership positions.
At the national level, he called for the Anglican Church of Canada website to provide a written guide explaining the interaction and jurisdictions of the church’s three levels of governance—diocesan, provincial and national synods—particularly in disciplinary areas.
Locally, Edwards suggested that the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist conduct a governance review. “Even a policy document on roles, duties and authorities of clergy and senior lay leaders would help clarify expectations of the diocesan bishop and prevent awkward tensions and disagreements,” he said.
Dean praises metropolitan’s response
Reached by the Journal, Short said she was pleased by the metropolitan determining in her favour on her complaints of discriminatory practices, emotional misconduct and bullying.
She expressed understanding on why Edwards said economic misconduct had not taken place, as she had received her full stipend from the diocese in the 20 weeks since Organ had fired her. Had the metropolitan’s overall decision not been in her favour, Short said, she would not have been able to work as a priest while Organ remained bishop and potentially beyond, imposing a long-term financial burden.
“It was my prayer all along to have my license reissued and my role as dean and rector reinstated, so I am thankful for the metropolitan’s decision on that matter,” Short said.
When she made the economic misconduct complaint, Short said, the archdeacon’s office had informed her that Organ’s commitment to her full stipend in his letter revoking her ministry license would not be honoured unless she accepted immediate revocation of her license. Short said she had to threaten a lawsuit for the full stipend to be re-established.
Short said she found safety in the prospect of having a senior priest serve as intermediary during the bishop’s three-month sabbatical before his Oct. 1 retirement.
“I don’t feel safe at the thought of having to work for any period of time with someone who has been proven to mistreat me the way the bishop has been found to have done,” Short said. “It was my preference that I return to work once he had left the diocese, but that is not what the ruling is, so having someone as a go-between provides an element of safety.” Should Organ not take a proper sabbatical, she added, it would be difficult or impossible for her to practice her ministry.
Short welcomed the recommendation that Organ apologize “for the harm caused by his rash decision and continued denial, because it is warranted,” she said.
“I began this process so that myself and others did not have to continue to practice ministry under the conditions we were, and with no intention of causing embarrassment to the church on any level,” she added.
Short said she planned to return to ministry as dean and rector of St. John the Evangelist if Organ restores her license, takes a sabbatical and is not actively involved in the diocese from July 1 to Sept. 30. However, she lamented that Organ retains control over all these decisions.
“I do wish the metropolitan’s recommendations had gone a step further and not given Bishop Organ any of the decision-making in this,” Short said. “But I am grateful that [Edwards] has accepted the findings of the safe church officer and created public recommendations which will hold Bishop John accountable if he does not follow those recommendations.”
She thanked those who had supported her over the past several months including friends, family, the congregation and her therapist. “The very committed and faithful members of the cathedral stood up for justice at their own front door, just as I would hope they would if it were taking place anywhere and to anyone,” Short said.
She expressed particular gratitude to Walsworth for his “compassion, patience and dedication… He provided the only pastoral care I and the others who testified in this matter received from the church. He truly provided a safe space for me and others.
“I am grateful to the metropolitan for having the courage to agree to having this matter reviewed by the safe church commission and for the recommendations towards bringing justice to my claim, and I trust he will see that his recommendations are fulfilled in the timely manner he suggested.”
Organ was on vacation at the time this article was written and had not responded to the Anglican Journal’s requests for comment by publication time.
