A lawsuit against the Diocese of New York and Saint Thomas Church Fifth Avenue, alleging multiple sexual assaults at the historic Manhattan parish, has been withdrawn. The development came after an outside law firm commissioned by Saint Thomas concluded its investigation into the allegations.
“The law firm collected and reviewed a substantial number of documents and other evidence, interviewed witnesses regarding the allegations, and conducted site visits of the locations where the conduct was alleged to have occurred,” reads a message sent to parishioners in December 2025, signed by the rector of Saint Thomas, the Rev. Canon Carl Turner, and parish wardens Lloyd Stanford and Gregory Zaffiro.
All individuals alleged in the lawsuit to have engaged in misconduct, including the Rev. Mark Schultz, were interviewed by Ropes & Gray LLP, one of the country’s top law firms. Schultz joined Saint Thomas in 2021 as associate for pastoral care. During the investigation, the complainant — a former parishioner — declined to be interviewed.
“Following the result of the investigation, the complainant officially and voluntarily withdrew his case with prejudice, which means that it is permanently closed and cannot be reopened,” Turner told The Living Church. He added that Saint Thomas maintains “robust safeguarding policies” consistent with the guidelines of the Episcopal Church and has “a monitoring committee that regularly reviews those policies and their implementation.”
Turner emphasized that there was no out-of-court settlement between the parties. He also noted that clergy, staff, and volunteers of the parish undertake safeguarding training with the Praesidium Academy, a virtual provider of abuse prevention training.
The lawsuit was filed in September 2025 by a former parishioner who alleged that he was sexually assaulted by Schultz, Schultz’s husband, and another individual with ties to the parish. The complainant told a local New York City publication that the alleged incidents occurred in 2024. Bishop Matthew Heyd of New York was also cited as a defendant in the case.
According to Turner and the Saint Thomas wardens, now that the investigation has concluded with no finding of any wrongdoing, they now consider the matter closed.
Schultz has also been restored to full duty. The priest was placed on administrative leave, consistent with safe church policies, while the investigation was ongoing.
TLC sought comment from the complainant’s lawyer. A spokesperson for Heyd declined to comment.
Saint Thomas Church Fifth Avenue has been a financial supporter of The Living Church.
Caleb Maglaya Galaraga is The Living Church’s Episcopal Church reporter. His work has also appeared in Christianity Today, Broadview Magazine, and Presbyterian Outlook, among other publications.
