July 21, 2025

Grace and peace to you from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Last night I wrote to you about a concerning development in the ecclesiastical trial of Bishop Stewart Ruch III. As noted, I received a resignation letter from the provincial prosecutor late yesterday.  While I know that news is unsettling and my first note did not include a full explanation as the situation was still developing, I wanted to be sure you heard this news from me before the Court issued any rulings about its next steps in light of this unprecedented action.  I now want to offer a more thorough explanation.

It is fair to be asking: What happened?

As many of you know, I was elected to serve as your Archbishop just over one year ago. At that time, Bishop Ruch was pending trial, but a date had not yet been set. One of my first priorities as your Archbishop was to seek closure to this painful and unresolved situation. In my letter dated September 23, 2024 I announced the trial date of July 14 and also requested that all actions of the Court be public to improve visibility and transparency in the process. Bishop Foley Beach had appointed Alan Runyan as the Provincial Prosecutor, and I re-affirmed that appointment to avoid any delays in the process.

In the intervening months, both parties worked to prepare for the trial. In early June, the Court issued a statement of its intent to host the trial on a secure internet-based platform, and that it be closed to the public. On June 20, the Court hosted a pre-trial conference to determine the scope of the trial, including what would be included as evidence and how the proceedings would be organized. At this time, it was estimated that the trial would commence on schedule and last approximately 5-10 business days.

Last Monday, the trial commenced as scheduled and the prosecution began its case under the direction of Provincial Prosecutor Alan Runyan. I was not involved in these proceedings. When a trial is underway, neither I nor the provincial office is in communication with the court.

According to the prosecutor, on Friday afternoon as a witness was being interviewed, a line of questioning developed that drew on material that he did not believe was within the scope of the trial agreed upon in the June 20 pre-trial conference. In response to this concern, the prosecutor returned from a court recess and announced his intention to resign. Following this announcement, Bishop Ruch’s team filed a Motion for a Directed Verdict of Not Guilty. The court has not yet ruled on this motion.

I became aware of Alan’s announcement on Friday, however I did not receive a formal resignation letter from him confirming his intention until late yesterday afternoon. I’ve asked our Chancellor, Bill Nelson, to share that letter with you as well as some clarity and context regarding procedural matters.

In response to the prosecutor’s resignation, this morning the Court issued a ruling to delay any further action until August 11, 2025.

We will post additional updates on the webpage dedicated to updates about the trial.While this development is disappointing, we are committed to upholding justice and accountability in the Church.  We will continue to follow the rigorous process inscribed in our canon law to investigate and seek the truth in this matter.Yours in Christ,