My dear sisters and brothers in the Lord,

It is with the utmost sorrow that I write to you in this time of great scandal and tribulation in our Church. Many people in leadership, particularly among the episcopacy, have failed the people of God. There can be no ambiguity about this.

As your spiritual father and the shepherd of this Diocese, I have prayed, struggled, and reflected a great deal these past few weeks in order to determine how I can best serve you.