Massachusetts Priest Arrested, Charged with Possession of Child Pornography
By Egan Millard
The Rev. Gregory Lisby had been suspended last year from his position as rector of All Saints Church in Worcester, Massachusetts, “for an inappropriate relationship with an adult that did not involve sexual contact,” the Rt. Rev. Douglas Fisher wrote in a letter to the diocese, adding that that disciplinary process did not yield any indication that Lisby was a danger to children. At the time of the Sept. 11 raid, Lisby had just begun teaching kindergarten in a public school in Holyoke. He had worked in other teaching positions in the area since his suspension, MassLive reported. He had previously served at Christ Church in Ridgewood, New Jersey, from 2010 to 2015, the Rt. Rev. Carlye Hughes, bishop of Newark, wrote in a letter to her diocese. He served at two churches in the Diocese of Rhode Island from 2005 to 2010, the Providence Journal reported. Lisby’s husband, the Rev. Timothy Burger, is the rector of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Worcester, and they have been living in that church’s rectory with their two daughters, Fisher wrote in his letter. Court records say that a tip from Microsoft led FBI agents to that address, and that the investigation found nearly 200 images and videos of child pornography in a Microsoft account associated with Lisby, MassLive reported. At 2:30 a.m. after the raid, Lisby emailed a brief resignation letter to the principal of the elementary school he worked at, saying, “Last night, I was accused of an awful crime that could put our Holyoke children in harm’s way.” He was arrested later that day. If convicted, Lisby could face up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A judge determined Lisby is a flight risk and a danger to the public, so he is being held in federal custody until his next court date, scheduled for Sept. 23. Fisher wrote in his letter that he is placing Lisby “under a pastoral directive that forbids contact with any Episcopal church” and has begun a Title IV investigation. “I have no reason to believe that children in our diocese have been victimized in this situation,” Fisher wrote. “Yet, I know that children whose images appear in pornography are heinously abused and violated by the adults who produce and consume it. This reality breaks my heart. Please join me in praying first for the children who are victims of child pornographers and for an end to the horrific abuse perpetrated by this industry.” Hughes wrote in her letter to the Diocese of Newark that “at this time, there is no indication of this behavior during the Rev. Lisby’s tenure in this diocese. Still, we will monitor this investigation carefully and are ready to launch a diocesan investigation if deemed necessary.” Both bishops encouraged anyone with information or concerns about the situation to contact their diocesan offices. According to the Providence Journal, the rectors of the two Rhode Island churches Lisby served at have also written to their congregations, inviting anyone with concerns to reach out to them. According to a 2015 Diocese of Western Massachusetts newsletter, Lisby holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in clinical social work and a Master of Divinity degree from The General Theological Seminary. He was pursuing a Doctor of Ministry degree in preaching from Sewanee: The University of the South.
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