A priest at Saint Thomas Church in Midtown has been placed on administrative leave by the Episcopal Diocese of New York while the church investigates allegations of sexual assault detailed in a lawsuit filed this month by a parishioner.
A J.P. Morgan loan officer filed the lawsuit against the Episcopal Diocese of New York and Saint Thomas Church on West 53rd and 5th Avenue, alleging that clergy and staff sexually assaulted him — and that when he spoke up, church leadership retaliated by portraying him as a violent threat to parishioners and even contacting his employer.
The lawsuit, filed in New York County Supreme Court on Sept. 8, details a series of alleged incidents beginning in late 2024, when 31-year-old Andrew Westphal of Westchester County had been regularly attending services and becoming active in the Saint Thomas community.
According to the complaint, Westphal claims he was first assaulted in November 2024 by William Davis, a nurse employed by Saint Thomas. He alleges that Davis showed him photographs of him wearing fishnet stockings while the two men were in the church foyer after Sunday service, before telling him that upstairs is “where the action happens.” As Westphal walked away from the encounter, he claims that Davis grabbed his buttocks.
Davis allegedly repeated the behavior on multiple occasions after Sunday services, including later that December, when he followed Westphal into the men’s bathroom, reached into his pants, and penetrated his anus with his finger.
On Jan. 28, 2025, Westphal said he attended a gathering at the West 58th Street apartment of Reverend Mark Schultz, a Saint Thomas priest, and Schultz’s husband, Erich Erving, a Lutheran printmaker. The apartment, the lawsuit notes, is the site of the Saint Thomas Choir School, owned by the church and houses clergy and choir school staff.
At that gathering, Westphal says Erving allegedly picked up salad tongs and, through his clothing, grabbed his genitals. Rev. Schultz then allegedly placed his hand down Westphal’s pants, touched his buttocks, and briefly penetrated him. “Shocked and speechless,” Westphal says he left the gathering early.
The lawsuit claims that a pastoral care meeting between Rev. Schultz and Westphal was due to take place the following day, but it was canceled after the previous night’s encounter.
amNewYork was informed that William Davis is no longer employed at Saint Thomas, though it is not confirmed what led to his departure or when it occurred.
A source close to the investigation said that Schultz and his husband no longer reside at the church-owned apartment and that Schultz voluntarily stepped back from his duties once an inquiry was announced.
Church launches independent inquiry
It is unclear when the investigation began, though the accusations were reported to the church and diocese in February, and the lawsuit was filed on Sept. 8. The church’s website noted that Rev. Schultz ran a virtual bible study on Sept. 12, while his most recent sermon was published on July 22.
Rev. Schultz joined Saint Thomas Church as Associate Priest for Pastoral Care in November 2021, according to the church’s website. Ordained in 2017 after studying at Berkeley Divinity School and the Institute of Sacred Music at Yale, he previously served at Saint Philip’s in the Hills in Tucson, AZ, overseeing pastoral care, formation, and liturgical life for children, youth, and families.
A spokesperson for Saint Thomas confirmed that an independent investigation, commissioned by the Midtown Church, is currently underway and that Rev. Schultz is on leave while it proceeds.
“The safety of all those in our communities is of paramount importance to Saint Thomas Church, and we adhere to safe church practices. An adult has made allegations of sexual misconduct against a current employee and a former employee of Saint Thomas Church in a recently filed lawsuit,” the spokesperson said.
“Our baptismal vows demand that we respect the dignity of every human being. We take any accusation of unsafe conduct seriously, and we are properly assessing and responding to the lawsuit by taking all steps necessary according to best practices and our parish and Diocesan policies,” they added.
Bishop Matthew Heyd, who was installed as the 17th Episcopal bishop of New York in 2024, issued a statement to this paper acknowledging the lawsuit, confirming that Rev. Mark Schultz had been placed on administrative leave from the diocese.
“The safety of our communities is our most sacred responsibility,” Heyd said. “I support the actions that St. Thomas Church has taken to place the Rev. Mark Schultz on leave while an investigation continues into the allegations made in a recent lawsuit. It is our commitment to always fully investigate claims of abuse and to support our congregations in doing the same.”
He said that, in support of Saint Thomas’s actions, he had also placed Father Schultz on administrative leave from the Diocese while the investigation continued.
Bishop Heyd emphasized that Schultz’s leave “is not an indication of a conclusion about the substance of the allegations, and that the action was taken “for the care and protection of everyone involved.”
“We are praying for the clergy and congregation at St. Thomas, Father Schultz, and the plaintiff,” he added.
In a message to parishioners on Sept. 21, Rev. Carl Turner, rector of Saint Thomas Church, said Schultz is on leave while a third-party investigation is conducted into a lawsuit containing serious allegations naming Schultz, the church, the Diocese, and others. Turner acknowledged that parishioners may feel shocked and upset, but said the matter cannot be discussed publicly due to ongoing litigation. He emphasized that the investigation will be handled by an external legal firm, not church staff, and noted that Schultz has been a “faithful and prayerful presence “at Saint Thomas.
Allegations of defamation
Days after the alleged assaults at Rev. Schultz’s apartment, Westphal said he reported the incidents in an email to the rector and wardens of Saint Thomas. The next day, he also contacted the Diocese. According to the lawsuit, the response was not protection or investigation, but punishment.
Westphal says he was formally banned from both the church and the Diocese by Feb. 2, 2025.
Weeks later, Bishop Matthew Heyd allegedly sent an email to clergy across the Diocese stating that Westphal had assaulted staff and threatened a mass shooting during services.
Westphal claims he was alerted about Bishop Heyd’s alleged email by staff at different churches, including a church outside of the Episcopal Church. A spokesperson for the Discoces did not respond to claims about the alleged email.
An unnamed “John Doe” defendant, allegedly connected to the church, then took the claims against Westphal further. Later that month, according to the lawsuit, he emailed J.P. Morgan, Westphal’s employer, accusing him of making terroristic threats.
That message had serious consequences, according to Westphal, who claims J.P. Morgan security searched his desk and backpack, and executives questioned him extensively.
The 31-year-old said he had recently passed the Series 7 licensing exam and cleared a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority background check — steps toward advancing from loan officer to securities analyst. But after the church-connected email, Westphal alleges, the bank dropped its sponsorship, blocked the licensing paperwork, and effectively ended his career path at the firm.
At the time of publication, the NYPD did not respond to repeated requests for information on whether a separate investigation is underway into Westphal’s allegations, though amNewYork was informed that a report was made.
The spokesperson for the department said it takes sexual assault and rape cases extremely seriously and urged anyone who has been a victim to file a police report so it can perform a comprehensive investigation and offer support and services to survivors.
Westphal’s lawsuit brings five causes of action: assault and battery against Schultz, Davis, and Erving; negligent hiring and supervision against the Diocese and Saint Thomas; defamation against Bishop Heyd and the unnamed “John Doe” for accusing him of violent crimes; and intentional infliction of emotional distress against all of the named defendants.
He is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, along with attorney’s fees, and demands a jury trial.
