Episcopal Bishop Prince Singh Accused of Abuse by Sons and Former Wife
Bishop got divorced in 2021 and now is engaged to be married.
Singh says he wants Title IV investigation to exonerate him.
Presiding Bishop Michael Curry accused of inaction
By David W. Virtue, DD
www.virtueonline.org
June 21, 2023
The former Episcopal Bishop of Rochester, now the Provisional Bishop of the dioceses of Eastern and Western Michigan, Prince Singh, has been publicly accused of domestic abuse by his two sons. They say they and their mother were repeatedly abused by the bishop over many years.
Writing on Facebook, Ekalaivan Singh wrote, “I could write over a thousand letters describing the horrible things my father, Prince Singh has done. I would like to express my deepest resentment towards the abuse and manipulation my family has had to deal with at the hands of this supposed man of God. Also I want my disappointment in the recent lies and betrayals we have had to endure to be known.”
The son went on to describe growing up in his household meant bearing witness to his father normalizing yelling and showing physical violence in the family environment. “The psychological trauma I suffered repressed itself and only began to come out when I was in the ninth grade. I suffered from frequent panic attacks and depression without any knowledge of what was causing it. When my father first found out I had depression be blamed me for it. I recall crying in the backseat of my mother’s car. I told my father that I thought my friends did not care about me and nobody would care if I was gone. Naturally I wanted a caring response from my father. All he could say to me was ‘Your friends do not care about you! They don’t care about you. The only people who will be there for you are your family.'”
As a result, the son said he felt alienated in his own house and stopped opening up to his parents about his mental health.
“In the ninth grade, I heard him screaming at my mother using the word divorce. That caused me to not go home from school one day and instead seek shelter at my best friend’s house. More and more memories began to flood my brain and I wasn’t sure if they were true. Until I began to speak to my brother (Eklan) about our father’s alcohol abuse. Every night my dad would start drinking wine as soon as he came home, sit in front of the TV until he passed out on our couch till 2a or 3am. Sometimes it was gin, other times it was whiskey. I would hear him dunkenly yelling at our mother on multiple occasions. I never did anything because this behavior was normal for me to be around.”
Singh explained how in 2019 he had gone through many therapy sessions breaking down his relationship with his father. At one point he heard his father telling his wife that she was arrogant and that he needed to end the marriage.
“My father never normalized emotions and never humbled himself with tears with any of us. He would send texts saying sorry, but then a few hours later there would be a nasty text or yelling.”
The marriage finally ended in diivorce. According to the son, the father returned to India and celebrated, reconnecting with his seminary sweetheart who he could not earlier marry because her father opposed the marriage.
Responding to the charges, Episcopal Presiding Bishop Michael Curry said he was aware of a series of emails and social media posts containing accusations against Prince Singh by his sons as well as the divorce and and recent public announcement of an engagement. Curry wrote, “while I don’t have a quick fix, I do want to be of appropriate help and support to you. I don’t know what that might look like.”
Nivedhan Singh fired back, “He has repeatedly diosplayed inaction and dismissiveness around the abuse my family suffered for 28 years under my father. He claims there is “no quick fix” for what happened to us. A pretty quick fix would be to hold his staff to a higher standard of morality…apparently the only job where you can beat up kids, be a functioning alcoholic, and still get promotions is the priesthood. Shame on you Curry for allowing domestic abusers in the HOB. What would Jesus do? Time to resign.”
“What has happened to my family is far from amicable, anything to the contrary is a bold-faced lie. I’m disappointed in the Epsicopal Church. I’m disappointed in my father. I’m disappointed in myself for remaining silent on this subject for so long. I have shared my truth, what you choose to do with it is up to you.”
Let the cycle of abuse end here, he concluded.
Bishop Singh responded saying that he encouraged the Presiding Bishop’s office to officially open a Title IV investigation–a process to determine the veracity of the points and to determine appropriate actions. “There should be no sense that these concerns are casually dismissed. The Presiding Bishop will appoint a separate intake officer to facilitate this process.”
“From my vantage point, an official Title IV process is the appropriate way to clear these painful allegations. As part of this, I have offered to submit myself for comprehensive psychological and alcohol evaluation by a clinical professional. By taking my sons’ concerns seriously, I hope that this will keep open the possibility of reconciliation.”
To date, the Presiding Bishop’s office has not called for a suspension or restriction on Singh’s ministry.
END
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