Staying home on Easter is right for God, one another: Bishop Sean Rowe

From Northwest PA-

When I became a bishop in the Episcopal Church, I did not foresee the day when the president of the United States would be urging people to attend Easter services and I would be urging them to stay home. But here we are.

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump told Bill Hemmer of Fox News that he hopes to see “packed churches all over the country” on Easter Sunday. I, on the other hand, am instructing my priests and people to celebrate the greatest feast of the Christian year at home because it is essential that we practice social distancing to slow the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The resurrection of Jesus is, for me, the single most important event in human history. It is the moment at which God demonstrated once and for all that love is stronger than death. I never imagined I would do anything to diminish the joy that Christians take in celebrating this feast together. My heart ached when I informed my diocese that we would not be observing Holy Week and celebrating Easter in our churches. But the decision itself was not a difficult one.

More here-

https://www.goerie.com/opinion/20200327/staying-home-on-easter-is-right-for-god-one-another-bishop-sean-rowe

New Episcopal bishop will serve WNY and NW Pennsylvania

From NPR Buffalo-

Western New York's new Episcopal bishop was installed Sunday. Bishop Sean Rowe was welcomed to St. Paul's Cathedral. Rowe will continue as bishop of Northwestern Pennsylvania, sharing staff and doing some travel back and forth.

Rowe said e-mail will be very valuable because of the combined area of the two dioceses. Bishop William Franklin will be retiring soon and moving to New York City. That's why the new cleric is the "provisional" bishop.

At a reception, the new 44-year-old bishop could look around himself and see many Episcopals who are much older. The new bishop said he is going to head out into the marketplace of ideas and try to reverse the long-term decline in his church membership in this area.

More here-

https://news.wbfo.org/post/new-episcopal-bishop-will-serve-wny-and-nw-pennsylvania

Bishop Sean Rowe: Welcoming Dreamers the obvious choice

From Allentown-

The current political morass in Washington has thrown light on a deep and ugly divide in our country and in our faith communities on the issue of immigration.

More than half of white evangelical Christians — a group that gave 81 percent of its votes to President Trump in the 2016 election — say that immigration is a threat to this country's "traditional customs and values."

In the same survey, conducted by Public Religion Research Institute in 2015, 70 percent of Hispanic Catholics say that immigration "strengthens American society." Other Christian groups fall in between, but only among white evangelicals does the majority report being threatened by immigration.

Proponents of these sharply contrasting views are on center stage as Congress prepares to negotiate what Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York called "a global agreement" that will include the fate of the young people who live in this country under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program initiated by President Obama in 2012 and ended by President Trump last September.

More here-

http://www.mcall.com/opinion/yourview/mc-daca-immigration-episcopal-rowe-0129-20180128-story.html

Bishop Sean Rowe: Follow the truth

From Northwest PA-

A leader who bears false witness — who does not acknowledge that we are bound to one another and must care for one another — leads us away from the kingdom of God.

About 2,000 years ago, in a backwater of the Roman Empire called Judaea, lived a ruler named Pontius Pilate. The people were angry about the power of a distant government that paid no attention to them, an economy that perpetuated an enormous gap between the rich and the poor, tax burdens that were unsustainable, and debt that ruined lives. They wanted scapegoats, and Pilate was happy to have them take out their wrath on someone other than himself.

One spring, the religious authorities handed over a troublesome rabbi to Pilate. He questioned him, trying to determine if he deserved to die. The rabbi, whose name was Jesus, told Pilate, “Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate replied with a question. “What is truth?” he asked.

Today, our president and many elected leaders remind me of Pilate. They would like us to believe that the truth is hard to pin down, that there are “alternative facts” and therefore they do not have to be straight with us. It is easy to understand why. No one wants to tell the truth to angry people, and many of us are angry.

More here-

http://www.goerie.com/entertainmentlife/20170520/bishop-sean-rowe-follow-truth#

Turning away refugees violates Christian principles: Bishop Sean Rowe

From Erie-

One of my favorite Bible verses comes from the first chapter of the Gospel of John: "A light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not overcome it." I have been thinking about that verse lately as darkness began to fall over our country and light struggled to reassert itself.

The executive order closing our borders to Syrian refugees and suspending refugee resettlement and immigration from seven predominantly Muslim countries is a profound betrayal of Christian principles and American ideals. If we, as a nation, are to be that indomitable light the Scripture speaks of, we must resist the efforts to close our border to those who are in desperate need of our help.

More here-

http://www.goerie.com/opinion/20170202/turning-away-refugees-violates-christian-principles-bishop-sean-rowe

Diocese of Bethlehem issues call for election of next bishop

From ENS-

When you gave me the honor of serving as your bishop provisional in March 2014, I pledged to spend several years working with you to discern the Diocese of Bethlehem’s common mission and update and streamline financial, governance and administrative practices. With thanksgiving for your remarkable progress in assuring a faithful future for the diocese, today I am calling for the election of the ninth bishop of Bethlehem.

In consultation with the Rt. Rev. Clay Matthews, the Episcopal Church’s bishop for pastoral development, and Judy Stark, a consultant recommended by his office who is a daughter of the Diocese of Bethlehem, the Standing Committee will soon seek members for a search committee to discern a slate of nominees for bishop. In time, the Standing Committee will also name a transitions committee to oversee the new bishop’s consecration and welcome to the diocese. Although the final calendar for the search process will be determined by the Standing Committee, I anticipate that we will elect the ninth bishop of Bethlehem in the spring of 2018 and consecrate and seat that person in the fall of that year.

More here-

http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/2017/01/06/diocese-of-bethlehem-issues-call-for-election-of-next-bishop/

Rt. Rev. Sean W. Rowe: Reconciliation after Trump's election still allows for dissent

From Bethlehem (Allentown)-

In the days after a presidential election, the news is full of public figures talking about reconciliation. Leaders of all kinds are pledging to put a divisive campaign behind them and work together for the common good. Church leaders like myself are particularly given to these sort of sentiments. They appeal to our pastoral instincts and allow us to imagine that we are what the prophet Isaiah called "repairers of the breach."

It is difficult to oppose reconciliation. Jesus said peacemakers were blessed, and as a Christian, I certainly want to be on his good side, but before we strike up a rousing chorus of "Kumbaya," I hope we will pause to make sure we understand that real reconciliation requires deep self-examination, an ability to acknowledge both when one has been wronged and when one has done wrong, and the willingness to behave and communicate in new ways. Reconciliation is not a synonym for the silencing of dissent.

More here-

http://www.mcall.com/opinion/letters/mc-trump-president-reaction-rowe-yv-1114-20161113-story.html

Bishop Sean Rowe: God loves all unconditionally

From Erie-

How many times have we found ourselves engaged in arguments only to realize that whatever hot button issue we were arguing about wasn't really the issue at all?

Time and again we turn against one another for superficial reasons that are symptoms of deeper issues that remain unaddressed. This is true in secular politics, and it is true in our faith communities as well.

We're gearing up for what promises to be a long and painful political season. Already, candidates are using the poor for target practice in our ongoing cultural and ideological wars. Some aspirants to political power are even talking about massive deportations of people who live in grinding poverty and do work that many American citizens simply refuse to engage. The goal is to get "them" out.


More here-


http://www.goerie.com/bishop-sean-rowe-god-loves-all-unconditionally

Bishop Rowe on court decision: 'A step toward justice'

From Erie-

The Rt. Rev. Sean W. Rowe, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania and Bishop Provisional of the Episcopal Diocese of Bethlehem, released the following statement on Tuesday's ruling that Pennsylvania's ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional:

"Today is a joyful day for Pennsylvanians who believe as I do that same-sex couples should be allowed to marry in our state. These couples work hard, raise children, volunteer for good causes and pay taxes. Pennsylvania would be poorer without them, and I am pleased that Judge John E. Jones III has moved them one significant step closer to equality under the law.

More here-

http://www.goerie.com/bishop-rowe-on-court-decision-a-step-toward-justice

New bishop to head Episcopal Diocese of Bethlehem

From Bethlehem (PA)-

A special convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Bethlehem elected the Rt. Rev. Sean Rowe as the provisional bishop of Bethlehem, according to a diocese news release.

Rowe, 39, has been bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania for seven years and will continue in that role. His position in the Bethlehem diocese will be for three years.
"It's a great day in the kingdom," said Rowe, in the release. "I am humbled and count it a privilege to stand before you today as your bishop. I am excited about this opportunity to serve you."

All 64 of the clergy present and 99 of the 100 laypeople voted in favor of Rowe's election, which required a two-thirds vote. The diocese comprises 14 counties in northeastern Pennsylvania and includes the cities of Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, Hazleton, Reading, Scranton and Wilkes-Barre.
More here-

http://www.mcall.com/news/breaking/mc-bethlehem-provisional-episcopal-bishop-20140301,0,7725190.story

Erie-based Episcopal diocese to allow blessing of same-sex unions

From North West PA-

Same-sex couples will be able to have their unions blessed in the Episcopal Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania.

The Right Rev. Sean Rowe, bishop of the Erie-based 13-county diocese, announced Thursday that he will allow clergy to conduct the blessings.

However, priests and congregations won't be forced to offer it. Churches that want to use the trial liturgical rite, which was approved by the Episcopal Church's General Convention in July, will go through a process of study, reflection and conversation before receiving permission from the bishop.

"I support blessing same-sex unions, but some of my faithful fellow Episcopalians do not," Rowe said in a statement. "The Episcopal Church in northwestern Pennsylvania is a place where people of good conscience can disagree charitably about such matters. We respect and love each other, and we are united in the hope and healing of Jesus Christ."

More here-

http://www.goerie.com/article/20121214/NEWS02/312139868/Erie-based-Episcopal-diocese-to-allow-blessing-of-same-sex-unions

Episcopal bishop in Erie announces no more sexual abuse claims received

From Erie-

Northwestern Pennsylvania's Episcopal bishop today gave an update on the claims of sexual abuse against one of his predecessors.

The Right Rev. Sean W. Rowe had announced in a July pastoral letter that the Rev. Donald Davis, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania from 1974 to 1991, had sexually abused four young girls while he was leader of the Erie-based diocese. Davis died in 2007.

Rowe, the current bishop, had asked other victims to come forward.

In a letter posted today on the diocese's website, Rowe said he quickly heard from five additional women but has received no more reports since then.

Rowe said three of the five had been abused by Davis as girls and two had been harassed and intimidated as adults.

"If there are other victims who are still considering whether to come forward, I urge them to contact me," Rowe said in today's letter. "As I wrote in my initial letter, I cannot undo the grievous wrongs that Bishop Davis has done, nor take away the pain of his victims, but I can do my best to ensure that this diocese continues to tell the truth and seek healing and reconciliation for those who have been harmed.

Rowe's letter can be found online at www.dionwpa.org. Victims can contact him at 456-4203 or bishop@dionwpa.org.

http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100912/NEWS02/309129865/-1/news

Another woman reports abuse by Episcopal bishop

More from Erie-

At least one more woman has come forward to say she was abused by an Episcopal bishop from Erie when she was a child.

The woman, who contacted the Erie Times-News today, said she sent a letter about the abuse to the Right Rev. Sean Rowe.

Rowe is the current bishop of the Erie-based Episcopal Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania. On Sunday, he revealed allegations that one of his predecessors had sexually abused four girls when they were around age 10 in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Rowe apologized to the four victims of Bishop Donald Davis, who died in 2007, and asked any others to come forward. Rowe said they could contact him confidentially at 456-4203 or bishop@dionwpa.org.

The day after the revelation about Davis, Rowe wasn't saying whether he'd received any calls or e-mails from other victims.

Rowe said Monday that he didn't want to comment yet on whether more had come forward. He said that when he feels it is appropriate, he would let people know if the diocese heard from other victims.

Rowe wouldn't confirm whether he'd received the e-mail the woman said she sent Monday. She forwarded a copy to the Erie Times-News, which has a policy not to identify victims of sexual assault. She called the newspaper but requested anonymity.

In her e-mail, she asked Rowe not to use her name publicly. She thanked him for what he was doing and said she has never gotten over what happened, despite years of counseling.

"It has scarred me," the woman told the Erie Times-News by telephone.

http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100712/NEWS02/307129913/-1/NEWS


Another story here-

http://www.timesleader.com/news/ap?articleID=4911617

and here-

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10194/1072408-455.stm