The Maida Touch
What is delaying the decision to return Father Don to Saint Dunstan parish?
It is obvious from a review of police records that certain AOD employees over-reached their authority and competency in the Saint Dunstan embezzlement case. Their attacks on Father Don were contrary to the teachings of Christ, vindictive and unwisely tempting legal boundaries.
It is time for Adam Cardinal Maida to step forward and touch parishioners and Father Don with the warm, loving and healing hand of reconciliation. Parishioners have well expressed their desire to return Father Don to Saint Dunstan. Cardinal Maida, please let the people in the pews know their voice reaches your ears and heart.
Town Hall Meeting
Parishioners and friends of Saint Dunstan will take great interest in the Freedom of Information Act documentation that will be made available at the upcoming town hall meeting. For instance:
- According to the AOD, Father Don informed Bishop Reiss as early as October 2006 that there were problems with the parish finances.
- In the spring of 2007 a parishioner generously donated $100,000 to the parish to make up for the embezzled funds.
- AOD Audit recommended in the event the alleged embezzler “refuses to acknowledge and/or accept responsibility for the accountability identified by the audit, an insurance claim can be filed with Gallagher Bassett to recover the same.”
- On 10/05/2007, Attorney Richard D. Korn, representing the alleged embezzler, called the Garden City Police and “he stated she wanted to take responsibility for the embezzlement and her and her family wanted to make restitution.”
- On 10/09/2007, Attorney Korn contacted the Garden City police again and said that his client wanted to accept responsibility and offered to reimburse the church of embezzled money.
Why were the parishioners not given the above information as it happened? Why has this case dragged on after responsibility was taken for the embezzlement and restitution was offered in October 2007? The AOD will be invited to answer these and many other pressing questions at our upcoming town hall meeting.