MondayMorningInsight.com > “It’s ‘Vegas, Baby!” Two Priests Steal $8.6 Million Over 40 Years for Vegas Trips and Girlfriends

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“It’s ‘Vegas, Baby!” Two Priests Steal $8.6 Million Over 40 Years for Vegas Trips and Girlfriends

Orginally published on Tuesday, October 03, 2006 at 5:04 AM
by Todd Rhoades

Sorry to have to report this type of thing again, but this one is so outrageous, it's almost unbelieveable. Two priests. $8.6 million gone over the period of 40 years. Most of it used for luxury property, trips to Las Vegas and the Bahamas, and to wine and dine their girlfriends. Huh? Yes, their girlfriends...

Here’s a news story from The Guardian (Yes, this story made it all the way from Florida to the UK. Great, huh!?)

“Once again you’ve witnessed the weakness of priests,” the Reverend Tom Skindeleski told the congregation at St Vincent Ferrer Roman Catholic church on Sunday.
The weakness of two pastors at the church in Palm Beach, Florida left an $8.6m (£4.6m) hole in its collection plate, according to police.

Church authorities were contrite. Very contrite.

“I’m truly, truly, truly sorry,” the bishop said at Sunday Mass. “Priests are humans and they make mistakes,” Rev Gerald Barbarito said. “Some make mistakes we can certainly understand. Others, not so. Sexual abuse, stealing money, we cannot understand this. Prayer is our strongest resource. The Lord is the only perfect one, and we rely on his strength.”

As parishioners left the church on George Bush Boulevard, they were asked to make contributions to a special collection marked “Debt relief” to aid the church.
The two Irish pastors were charged last week with misappropriating the money over 40 years.

Monsignor John Skehan, 79, was arrested at Palm Beach airport on Wednesday as he returned from a trip to Ireland. He was released on $400,000 (£214,000) bail on Friday.

The Rev Francis Guinan, 63, who succeeded Skehan three years ago, is thought to be on holiday in Australia. Police are reported to be negotiating his surrender.

Police allege the two men skimmed money from contributions at the 4,000-member church to spend on gambling trips to Las Vegas and the Bahamas, property in Palm Beach and to support their girlfriends.

The two pastors have been placed on administrative leave by the diocese.

The year-long police investigation into the alleged misappropriation of funds at the church was prompted by a letter from a parishioner who was concerned that the matter would be dealt with internally by the diocese.

The scandal is not the first to affect the Palm Beach Diocese. It lost consecutive bishops in 1999 and 2002 after they admitted to inappropriate sexual behaviour with young men.

“I hope we have a smile on our face this morning, it’s been a difficult week,” Monsignor Leonard Badia told parishioners at St Vincent Ferrer on Saturday.

“What would life be like without crisis? But we’re here because of Christ.”

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TRACKBACKS: (1) There are 6 Comments:

Posted by

Tuesday, October 03, 2006 at 1:06 PM

I’m annoyed that they labeled an intentional wrongdoing is labeled as a “mistake” in order to keep it from sounding as bad.
Posted by

Tuesday, October 03, 2006 at 1:52 PM

$8.6 MILLION? And no one noticed? Even over a period of 40 years one would think someone would have noticed $8.6 million!

Does the diocese have no oversight? No accountant? Has there never been an audit? No accounting in 40 years? I think everyone would agree that anyone can succumb to temptation, but that’s why there needs to be oversight and accountability. $8.6 million? How many poor could have fed with that? How many lost could have been saved if these two priests had been doing God’s work instead of galavanting off to Vegas and the Bahamas with their “girlfriends”?

And where was Bernie? I thought he was watching out for this stuff?
Posted by kent

Tuesday, October 03, 2006 at 3:47 PM

Okay, maybe there some problems that are easier to fix.
Posted by pjlr

Tuesday, October 03, 2006 at 7:26 PM

Apparently what happened in Vegas didn’t stay in Vegas.

Or as the Bible puts it, “Be sure your sins will find you out.”
Posted by

Tuesday, October 10, 2006 at 9:26 AM

That’s almost $600 per DAY for 40 years...I am very suspicious that no one else would have known about this.
Posted by

Tuesday, October 10, 2006 at 2:37 PM

In the past, priests were revered by all,and they in return demanded the utmost respect. A recent poll has them graded just below used car salesmen. I ask, why is this so that they have tumbled downward so dramatically. I think in part it’s an arrogance they have had for far too long, toward the faithful. Do as I say, not as I do. The hypocrisy shared by so many of them has finally been brought to light. More of the faithful realize now that their sorry asses have been kept in the lap of luxury for too long. Praise the missionaries and those who work in helping others but a parish priest for the most part is an albatross. I believe that they should be set free to fly eastward.

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Hi... I'm Todd Rhoades. I'm a Christ-follower, husband, father and I love to connect leaders with other leaders. Hopefully you'll find something here at MMI you like and will return often. If you want, you can find out more about me or follow my every step on Twitter.