Posted on 07/13/2004 8:55:25 PM PDT by Coleus
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Eighty-eight year old Rose Pale was a devoted parishioner. She attended mass every day. The lawsuit says the monsignor at Saint John The Martyr Church on the Upper East Side betrayed her trust.
The lawsuit says that Monsignor John Wolsey had Pale sign over $495,000 dollars in cash and stocks over three years. He also advised her on her stock portfolio, convincing her to drop her broker of 20 years and use his brokerage firm. All the while, he allegedly told Pale not to tell family and friends.
The suit alleges Wolsey received $100,000 dollars for a Jersey Shore condo. It also says that he took church donations and used them for personal use.
Pale died last year and the executive of her state is trying to recoup some of those funds back into her estate. So far, the archdiocese has no comment.
Is there any priest, diocesan or not, who should be able to afford a $500,000 beach house? If they do, there's something very wrong there, particularly when the dioceses around here are closing schools and churches due to financial constraints.
When I was in Catholic grade school, we had a raffle to raise money for the school. The prize was a new car. Wouldn't you know it, the pastor just happened to win the raffle! Shocker.
Likely neither of them will be found guilty in a civil trial, much less charged in a criminal trial
For once I agree with you - to a point. There is a great possibility that some or all of what you indicated may come to pass. However, I am quoting the law. And here you have a situation where under either civil or criminal law - assuming sufficient evidence - Woolsey, Egan, or both could be formally subpeoned, and made to stand trial. Regardless of what happened to Woolsey, a very clear line of responsibility in both civil and canon law can be shown leading right to Egan's door. Sorry - no "free pass" for priests, as you put it. They must start living the gosple - not living off of it!
As I read this story, there is only the civil action. I don't get the impression the family is pressing a case with the DA.
Not be leeching off a vulnerable parishioner.
If a priest inherits money from his family, he has a right to it.
However, the idea of a "millionaire priest" is repugnant to the vocation.
Is there any priest, diocesan or not, who should be able to afford a $500,000 beach house? If they do, there's something very wrong there, particularly when the dioceses around here are closing schools and churches due to financial constraints.
Very well said! But I charge that there would be no serious financial constraints if we had not had the issue of fiscal mis and malfeasance over the last 40 or so years. There has been rampant stealing - even from "poor" parishes. The Liberal/gay priests view this as their "privilegde", as if its an open secret and a joke! No Priest in Holy Orders has the right to own a country house (unless he inherited it). Granted that the diocesan (secular) clergy do not take vows of poverty - but they should, in truth. Or at least one of "material sufficiency" or "poverty of use". These are concepts which ask the priest to consider whether or not the fancy car, clothing, house, stock portfolio is of the mind of Christ. If this is serving Christ, his church, his people? Or is he just as bad as your garden variety yuppie, concerned with nothing but their comfort and material pleasure. Such a mode of life and thought is not becoming a priest. They need to learn the words of St. Ignatius of Loyola: "Take and receive O Lord my liberty. Take from me my will, my mind, my memory. Only Thy grace and love on my bestow, and I am rich enough to ask for nothing more."
I know one, but it was family property long before he was a priest.
An American criminal impersonating a Catholic priest
Indeed!!!! Such a man as Woolsey is not a priest, rather he is typical of those who would be false vocations. These are those who become priests under false pretenses to live a life of material comfort while doing very little real work, Those of his ilk will make a big show of appearing to be busy - with anything but the true work of a priest. They dont want to say mass - anymore then they absolutely must......hear confessions, counsel potential converts - or those who need spiritual help. They have no interest in leading the public recitation of the rosary, blessings with relics, or anything of the like. "Father is not in....on the phone......busy......on vacation" Who ever heard of a priest on vacation? They were married to the Bride of Christ - His Church, and lived and worked for her sole purpose: the salvation of souls.
I say do away with all clergy saleries and benfices - eliminate the $3500 a year car allowance. They have furnished rectories with free utilities & heat/ac....free food, laundry and housekeeping services. Need pocket money? They have their mass stipends. Need a car? Go back to the vehicle owned by the parish (or leased) for their use (which remains the property of the church). Give them medical coverage - of course. Implement the parish finance committees - which Rome has mandated, but give them real power. Leaving all that money in the hands of a mortal man - who is tempted as we all are to sin - is just asking for trouble. Keep him in charge of the decision making.....but make sure someone is watching over his shoulder!
Do you know of the priest?
Woolsey, charged in a lawsuit with swindling $490,000 from Cale, met her a few years ago when she was in a dispute with her former parish, St. Jean Baptiste on East 76th Street.
Cale had donated $10,000 for renovations, and in return wanted the church to install a small plaque honoring her family, said the colleague, a church official who didn't want to be named.
When the church refused, Cale complained — and took up the matter with Woolsey, co-vicar of Catholic churches on the East Side of Manhattan.
Amid her dispute with St. Jean Baptiste, Cale's brother Dominick died — and even though she wasn't a member, Woolsey let her have a burial service at his church, St. John the Martyr on East 71st Street, said the official.
Woolsey also helped Cale get back her $10,000 donation to St. Jean Baptiste — so she decided to stick with his church.
Cale often sent envelopes with money to the parish's priests, said the official — but the checks were made out to the priests, not the church.
Also, Cale regularly brought meals to Woolsey — including his favorite dish, broccoli rabe.
They grew closer after Woolsey's mother died.
"He became a son to her," said the church official. "He took on the obligation of a son, and she began calling him at all hours of the day."
A St. John the Martyr parishioner, Flora Aponte, confirmed that Cale and Woolsey were close.
"He never asked for money, but it was her wish to give him money," said Aponte.
Woolsey recently underwent heart surgery, and has been advised not to discuss the matter, said the church official.
http://www.dailyrecord.com/news/articles/news2-Akbishop.htm
Two men who say they were abused by Tully in 1979, when they were teenagers attending a Passaic school where Tully worked, filed papers in a Long Island court Friday that provide details of their allegations. They say Tully took them to his summer home on Long Island, got them drunk, fondled one boy, and pulled down the pants of the other boy and molested him. The boys, 14 and 15 at the time, then ran to a nearby house and police were called.
This priest was the "dean of discipline" at my brothers' Catholic high school, and one of my brothers was attending this school at the time of this incident. Anyhow, Father Tully's misdeeds were well-known at the time -- it was an open secret back then that this priest would "befriend" a freshman boy each year, and take him on RV trips with him (of course, the church paid for the RV, too.) And it's not like this school was in a ritzy area, where parishoners could afford such largess as paying for a summer home in Long Island for a priest -- the school was poor, and in a bad area of town. This high school ended up being closed in 1983 and sold -- the diocese said it was because of declining enrollment, but apparently it was sold to settle yet another sexual abuse lawsuit in the diocese.
Anyhow, my reason for telling you about this is that these priests having summer homes, courtesy of their parishoners, is a bad idea not just because of the cost, but because of the fact that more than one priest has sexually abused his victims at these places, which are far away from their homes.
And don't forget the Paterson NJ Bishop was criticized for vacationing at a priest friend's summer home at the Jersey Shore where this priest slept with a 10-yr.-old boy with the Bishop sleeping in the next bedroom. After the parents filed suit, the bishop many yrs. later said that it was an error in judgment.
Would you say 'I'll bet we see no 'Black Conservative Ping' on this thread, on an issue relating to a crime involving a black member of the community?
No, I thought not.
Why? Because it's offensive.
You AUTOMATICALLY assume that Catholics would condone ANYTHING a priest does, even if what they do (and in this case have alleged to do) is wrong.
Shameful.
Incidentally, apologies to the black conservative ping list people here. I was just attempting to make a point here. Forgive me, if I've offended anyone.
I have a friend, a priest, who is a former secondary school teacher (so he got a teachers salary all his life), and he lived a very frugal lifestyle himself.
Not only that, but he is a celebrated oil painter in Ireland. Every year he has an exhibition, which sells out within minutes (and I mean minutes) of opening. His exhibitions net about 40 grand.
He's been doing those for 30 years.
Now, I don't know what he does with his money. But he lives a quiet lifestyle (doesn't drink), and drives a 6 year old saloon car.
He's either giving it away, or is going to leave a very handsome estate.
And don't forget the Paterson NJ Bishop was criticized for vacationing at a priest friend's summer home at the Jersey Shore where this priest slept with a 10-yr.-old boy with the Bishop sleeping in the next bedroom.
You are referring of course to Bishop Frank Rodimer - a creep if there ever was one! He didn't know about the 10 year old boy? Then I guess he would be oblivious to the proverbial elephant in the living room. I will not even bother to tell tales about Rodimer - he was a bad apple, who covered up for offenders, and was rumored to be one himself.
I have it on good authority that certain area priests - have time shares, which they share (no pun) in Puerto Rico, and other Carribean flesh pots. Nice what they can do with our money!
Yes. Msgr. Woolsey is devoted to his parish and parishioners, and well liked by them in return. My parents pretty much echoed William Donohue's comments, distinguishing between accepting gifts and deliberately bilking the parishioners.
| Father Flim Flam's out |
| Hits the bricks over missing mil |
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Msgr. John Woolsey, the charismatic pastor of Manhattan's St. John the Martyr Church, relinquished the day-to-day operations of the parish, church officials said. The Archdiocese of New York asked Woolsey to give up his post after an audit revealed about $1 million went missing during Woolsey's eight-year tenure. The Manhattan district attorney is probing whether the priest spent the money on a lavish lifestyle. Several parishioners said yesterday that Woolsey blurred the line between donations earmarked for the church and gifts from his doting flock. The handsome priest had an account at upscale Brooks Brothers and shopped at Bloomingdale's and Ralph Lauren, followers said. He had long lunches at posh restaurants and vacationed in Italy, Ireland and Spain. He golfed at upscale country clubs and only recently traded in his Lexus for a Honda. Wealthy patrons picked up the tab for some of the trips and memberships, like the $5,000 initiation fee to join the posh Metropolitan Club along with its annual $2,000 dues. When his patron died, the membership was discontinued, sources said. The scandal erupted after the estate of an elderly parishioner sued Woolsey, claiming he swindled the 88-year-old Rose Cale out of nearly $500,000 and pocketed some of the $241,500 she gave to the church. Woolsey denies the charges. But by Woolsey's own admission, Cale gave him $100,000 toward a retirement condo and another $63,000 to furnish it. She also opened a $70,000 joint stock account, which Woolsey got on her death. "We believe he's accounted for everything and made no improper use of parish funds," Woolsey's lawyer, Nicholas DeFeis, said. As of yesterday, the parish had $156,000 in a savings-money market account and $1,657 in a checking account, sources familiar with the investigation said. A source familiar with the church's operations said it took in more than $5,000 a week in collections, which would mean a yearly take of at least $260,000. Woolsey's defense includes sworn statements from wealthy followers who said they were satisfied with how the priest handled their hefty donations, DeFeis said. What irked parishioner Joseph Salerno was that while Woolsey was living well he was nickel-and-diming the parish's homeless program by turning a sit down meal into a box lunch. The change saved the church about $250 a week, but seemed harsh, Salerno said. "He wanted the program to be a pickup lunch and go. He didn't want to alienate the other parishioners, who frowned upon the homeless," said Salerno, a longtime volunteer for the program. |
| Father Flim Flam a target |
| DA to probe 500G 'gift' |
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"We are looking into it," Sherry Hunter, a spokeswoman for Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau, said yesterday. A suit filed this week charges Msgr. John Woolsey, 66, with abusing his influence over the late Rose Cale to line his pockets - and buy a Jersey Shore condo - with her cash. Woolsey had no comment, and one source at St. John the Martyr said the pastor was advised to see a doctor about a heart condition after the news broke. But the big-bucks scandal swirling around Woolsey was the talk of the parish yesterday, in the pews and from the pulpit. "Our concern should be, first of all, to pray for monsignor and everyone involved," the Rev. Joseph Baker told worshipers at afternoon Mass. Outside, the flock was divided. "I wish I could shout through a megaphone," said Maria Rhodes, 50, who went to the rectory to see Woolsey yesterday after her father died. "I would proclaim that he's a great priest, a compassionate soul, an extraordinarily decent man. I would stake my life on this man's reputation." Others were rattled by the lawsuit. "I won't lose my faith but I might lose trust in this church," said Lourdes Tajiri, 66, a St. John's parishioner for more than 40 years. "I have no children and I was considering giving my estate to this church when I died," Tajiri added. "I'll be reconsidering that now. This has totally shocked me." The lawsuit, filed by the executor of Cale's estate, claims Woolsey "induced" the trusting octogenarian to give him $490,000 in cash and stocks over three years. He's accused of using $100,000 to buy a condominium in Monmouth Beach, N.J., in 1999 - a swank property he resold for $276,000 a few months ago, records show. The lawsuit also names the Archdiocese of New York, which said only that it is "looking into" the allegations. The Catholic League, however, rushed to Woolsey's defense, mocking the idea that the priest - who once ran the archdiocese's Family Life office - is a conniving hornswoggler. "It is one thing if a clergyman shakes down a member of his flock, quite another if he takes a gift that has been voluntarily given to him," said Catholic League President William Donohue, a friend of Woolsey. A St. John's source described Cale as a cantankerous but kind and generous woman who enjoyed a "father-daughter" relationship with Woolsey. "I once jokingly made a comment asking for $100,000 for repairs to the organ and said if anyone had a check, I'd like to hear from them. She was outside my door immediately, saying, 'Don't take it from anyone else,'" the source said. "I think [Woolsey] has been imprudent, maybe even stupid, but there is no reason why he could not accept gifts." |
and in a previous case
New York Daily News - Home - Priest had loot, Nazi stash, porn
This is absolutely no suprise. A priest who loves money, loves money.
The scandal of Catholic priests living like CEOs is the next one to hit the fan.
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The investigation of Monsignor John Woolsey has turned up a personal account with Smith Barney worth $450,000, a Citibank account with $200,000 — and a $340,000 discrepancy over a contracting bill for work done on the church.
And when Woolsey wasn't saying Mass as pastor at St. John the Martyr, sources said he could sometimes be seen hitting the links at the Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, an establishment so exclusive that visitors need a password to get on its Web site.
The Archdiocese of New York last month booted Woolsey from his pastorate at the East 72nd Street church and reported him to the Manhattan District Attorney's Office after learning that cash in the "high hundreds of thousands of dollars" had disappeared from church coffers, said officials familiar with the case.
The criminal investigation came quickly on the heels of a civil lawsuit accusing the popular priest of bilking an elderly parishioner out of $500,000, including $100,000 that was used to buy a luxury condo on the Jersey Shore.
Sources said the probe of the priest's alleged pilfering is still in its early stages.
The Queens contractor who reported the $340,000 discrepancy told officials from the DA's office that he billed St. John the Martyr $160,000 for the work. But Woolsey apparently told the church the bills totaled $500,000. Officials said the Citibank account has both his name and the church's name on it, but the archdiocese knows nothing about it.
The prestigious Winged Foot Golf Club usually draws doctors, lawyers and investment bankers.
Neither Woolsey nor his lawyer could be reached for comment.
Woolsey has denied allegations made in the lawsuit, and he has not been charged with any crimes.
The priest was sued in state Supreme Court by the estate of Rose Cale, a parishioner who died last year at 88.
The suit alleges Woolsey induced Cale into giving him $490,000 in cash and stocks, part of which was used to buy the Jersey Shore condominium.
He later sold the condo for a $167,000 profit.
A lawyer for Cale's estate said the suit has since been amended to include the profit from the condo sale, and $1 million in punitive damages.
"None of this information surprises me," the lawyer, Brian Caplan, said. "It's plausible that my client is not the only victim of the conduct outlined in our complaint. They're waiting to see how this unfolds."
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