NEWS PROVIDED BY
Anglican Watch
Oct. 20, 2025
ALEXANDRIA, Va., Oct. 20, 2025 /Standard Newswire/ — Episcopal Bishop DeDe Duncan-Probe and the Episcopal Diocese of Central New York are refusing to follow the denomination’s Title IV clergy disciplinary canons, according to unofficial church watchdog Anglican Watch.
The news follows a Title IV clergy disciplinary complaint filed against the Rev. Rebecca Roberts, rector of St. Peter’s Cazenovia, NY, by parishioner Win Limmer. At the heart of Limmer’s complaint are allegations that Roberts, in league with diocesan attorneys, banned Limmer from attending the parish as part of a campaign of spiritual abuse. As part of these allegations, Limmer alleges that Roberts has lied about her, falsely claiming that she is a stalker.
Shortly afterward Limmer filed her Title IV complain, Anglican Watch received a copy of Title IV intake officer the Rev. Julie Calhoun-Bryant’s preliminary notice of dismissal, which had not yet been approved by Bishop DeDe Duncan-Probe.
In the draft decision, Calhoun-Bryant purported to make adverse findings of fact against Limmer. She did so despite the fact that the Title IV disciplinary canons expressly forbid the intake officer from making findings of fact.
Anglican Watch immediately notified Canon to the Ordinary Megan Castellan, the diocesan chancellors, and Bishop Duncan-Probe in writing of its concern over this violation of canon law.
Despite the warning that its behavior was a violation of canon law, the Diocese went forward with the dismissal.
In response, Anglican Watch filed a Title IV complaint against intake officer Julie Calhoun-Bryant, alleging that she is failing to cooperate in the underlying Title IV proceeding.
Several weeks later, the Diocese continues to ignore the Anglican Watch complaint.
As a result, Anglican Watch expects to file a Title IV complaint with the national church against Bishop DeDe Duncan-Probe in the coming days.
“Title IV is not optional, and neither bishops nor intake officers are free to ignore its provisions,” said Anglican Watch executive director Eric Bonetti. “When as here, judicatories play fast and loose with complaints, it undercuts the church’s credibility and tells members and the public alike that the church does not take abuse seriously.
“Moreover, we remain deeply concerned that church officials treat bullying, shunning, lying, criminal perjury, and even child rape as not actionable under Title IV,” Bonetti added.
“If the Episcopal Church is to survive in any form, it must demonstrate the highest standards of integrity and accountability. It simply cannot continue to claim to be building ‘beloved community,’ even as priests and bishops abuse church members.
“This is particularly true for young people, who are the future of the church. Many have a keen nose for hypocrisy, and will quickly walk away from an church that doesn’t have the integrity to honor its own canons,” Bonetti observes.
As this case plays out, Anglican Watch encourages members of the Diocese of Central New York to withhold all funds from the Diocese and its parishes until the Diocese and Bishop DeDe Duncan-Probe agree to follow the denominations’ clergy disciplinary canons to the letter.
“It is not acceptable to say, ‘this doesn’t involve me,’ when the church demonstrates active corruption, as is the case here,” Bonetti concludes. “Oppression anywhere in the church hurts the entire Body of Christ, not just those directly involved.”
Founded in 2015, Anglican Watch is the unofficial watchdog of the Episcopal Church. The organization addresses both sexual and non-sexual abuse in the Episcopal Church and other denominations.
SOURCE Anglican Watch
CONTACT: Eric Bonetti, 240-380-2567, eric@anglicanwatch.com