Deceased Episcopal priest accused of child sex abuse

In a note sent to members of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh and an affiliated summer camp on Friday, Bishop Dorsey McConnell informed members of a child sex abuse complaint against a late priest and encouraged those with information to speak up.

Bishop McConnell said his office received a complaint against the late Charles Appel, who served as a priest in the Diocese of Pittsburgh before renouncing his orders in 2001.

The unidentified man who made the complaint claims the alleged abuse occurred when he was a minor in the late 1970s and early 1980s and while he was at Sheldon Calvary Camp in Conneaut, Ohio.

The camp is affiliated with the Pittsburgh Diocese.

“Acknowledging this part of our diocese’s history is painful,” Bishop McConnell said in a letter to members. “However, as Christians, we must be committed to the safety and well-being of everyone and

transparency about any misconduct or abuse.

“To that end, I want to invite and encourage anyone in our congregations or in the community who may have information about this allegation, or who wishes to speak about any related situations involving Mr. Appel, to contact our diocesan intake officers.”

Appel renounced his priesthood after charges were brought against him under the church’s clergy disciplinary system, according to Bishop McConnell. The diocese would not provide details of that case.

Prior to that, Appel was involved at Calvary Camp from approximately 1971 until 1982 and was also vicar of the former Church of the Good Samaritan in Liberty. In 2014, Appel was sentenced to five years in federal prison for receiving pornographic videos of children. He died in 2019.

Anyone with information into the alleged abuse can contact the Rev. Catherine Munz or the Rev. Canon James Shoucair via email at intake@ episcopalpgh.org or by phone at 412-721-0853, ext. 257. All conversations will be kept confidential.

Bishop McConnell said he plans to provide an update on the case over the summer.