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Pastoral Response Team

The Diocese’s Pastoral Response Team is a group of lay and ordained men and women selected by the Bishop for their collective professional experience in the fields of pastoral care, spirituality, psychology, congregational life, law and conflict mediation. Many members of the team have been doing this work for more than 10 years.

The team can provide valuable insight, resources and plans for clergy, employees and congregations dealing with sensitive pastoral situations that require psychological, legal and/or professional counsel. These situations could include church employees, lay or ordained, or church members. It is important to note any and all allegations of misconduct by clergy are referred directly to the Bishop and members of the Diocesan Disciplinary Board, under the directives of the Canons of the General Convention of The Episcopal Church (Title IV.)

The Pastoral Response Team has developed a process that is mutual, where all persons are honored and valued, and where Diocesan and Episcopal Church guidelines are employed to assure not only the safety and care of every human being, but also the dignity of all persons involved, either directly or indirectly.

Members of the PRT provide pastoral support to those involved or impacted by allegations of clergy misconduct but they are not involved in investigation or adjudication, which are handled by the Disciplinary Board.

The Team can bring wisdom and guidance to any congregation in situations where the normal pastoral resources of the congregation are at their limits, such as:

  • when an allegation of clergy misconduct has necessitated an administrative leave during an investigation;
  • after the sudden death, or disabling injury or illness of a clergy person, or a member of the clergy person’s family;
  • advising a congregation when a parishioner is a convicted or accused sex offender;
    assisting clergy, or wardens of a congregation without clergy, with referrals to professionals such as clinical therapists, family or marriage counselors;
  • helping clergy understand and respond appropriately to unusual behavior in the congregation.

The Pastoral Response Team advises the Bishop about Safe Church Training and provides advice and guidance to congregations as they have questions about Safe Church issues for children and adults and maintaining appropriate boundaries.

CONTACT THE PASTORAL RESPONSE TEAM

Call 1-877-332-3394 at any time. The Diocese maintains a toll-free line where callers can leave confidential messages. Your call will be returned within 48 hours by a member of the Pastoral Response Team who can assist you in determining the next steps you would like to take. Your call will be kept confidential to the fullest extent of the law. The Rev. Robert Fruehwirth, chair of the PRT, and Canon Catherine Massey, diocesan staff coordinator of the PRT, are also available to answer questions.

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Contact

Canon Catherine Massey
Canon to the Bishop
919-600-5307 
The Rev. Robert Fruehwirth
Chair, Pastoral Response Team

Canon Catherine Massey

Canon to the Bishop
919-600-5307 |

Canon Massey graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a degree in Mass Communications and has over 15 years of experience in sales, marketing and association management. Prior to working at Diocesan House, she served as parish life coordinator for St. John's, Wake Forest.

Canon Massey works with the congregational development team and the office of transition ministry, and she supports congregations and clergy in transition. She also helps support our diocesan staff, the Safe Church program, and the work of the Commission on Ministry, the Pastoral Response Team and the Disciplinary Board.

Canon Massey enjoys learning how people and organizations work together and says it is an honor and a privilege to serve the clergy and churches in our diocese.

Canon Massey is a native of Richmond, Virginia, and has lived in North Carolina with her family for 20 years. She and her husband, Robert, have three young adult daughters and two Scottish terriers. The Masseys live in Wake Forest and are members of Christ Church, Raleigh.

The Rev. Robert Fruehwirth

Chair, Pastoral Response Team

Call the Confidential Line

1-877-332-3394


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200 West Morgan St, Suite 300
Raleigh, NC 27601

Tel: (919) 834-7474

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Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina
200 West Morgan St, Suite 300
Raleigh, NC 27601

Contact Us
(919) 834-7474

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