Diocese of Long Island Designates Funds for Reparations and Relief Efforts

November 20, 2019

 The Right Rev. Lawrence C. Provenzano, bishop of Long Island, announced at the diocesan convention on November 16 that an estimated half-million dollars from the pending sale of the former St. Matthias Church property in Wantagh will be reserved for a plan of reparations.  In this action, the diocese joins with a growing number of dioceses and entities across the Episcopal Church in acknowledging their roles during the period of slavery in the United States.

The bishop said this will “be the start of a reparations fund to be held by the trustees of the diocese and administered by an appointed committee of Diocesan Council, the income from which will be distributed in the form of scholarships and incentives to minority young adults seeking opportunity in education and business within the geography of our diocese.”

About the Wantagh property, the bishop added, “The Diocese of Long Island has regained legal possession of the property that has always belonged to the diocese but had been illegally occupied by other parties.”

In his address to the convention, Bishop Provenzano also said, “You will recall that several years ago we sent almost two million dollars to ministries and projects across the world following the sale of The Church of the Redeemer in Brooklyn. 

This past year, following the same faithful practice, the diocese has been able to send $100,000 to support relief to the Bahamas following devastating hurricanes and $100,000 in support to a children’s hospital in Palestine, The Jerusalem Princess Basma Centre, whose direct aid has been cut off by the change in policy of our national administration and the Israeli government.

 And we have been able to contribute $50,000 to Codrington College in Barbados, a theological seminary that serves the Province of the West Indies. The seminary has been in urgent need of support for its faculty and this is one way for us to provide a thank offering for many of our clergy whose theological education and formation began at Codrington College."