Pope Francis Dismisses Former New Hampshire Church Leader Who Admitted Stealing $300K
Pope Francis has dismissed a prominent priest in New Hampshire who was convicted of stealing some $300,000 from the local diocese, a hospital, and a deceased priest's estate.
The priest, former monsignor Edward J. Arsenault, was sentenced to four years in prison in 2014 and served part of his sentence. On April 4, he was transferred to home confinement and is up for parole on Feb. 19, 2018, the Associated Press reported.
"On February 28, 2017, Pope Francis decreed Edward J. Arsenault dismissed from the clerical state, and dispensed him from all obligations subsequent to sacred ordination, including that of celibacy," the Diocese of Manchester said in a statement last week as reported by the Catholic News Agency.
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"By virtue of this decree, Edward J. Arsenault has no faculties to act, function, or present himself as a priest," the statement added.
The Diocese of Manchester made the announcement on the defrocking of Arsenault on Friday.
"Dismissing a priest from the clerical state is very serious and taken very seriously by the Holy See," said Father Georges de Laire, the diocese's vicar for Canonical Affairs.
Arsenault was the face of the Church in New Hampshire when a major clergy sex abuse crisis erupted in the state in 2003 involving 83 victims.
He also had a role in establishing the Church's child protection policies in the U.S. and risk management for dioceses nationwide in response to the clergy sex abuse scandal, LifeSite News reported.
The former monsignor was convicted in 2014 of three counts of theft and pleaded guilty to all three theft charges against him.
One of the charges was that he billed the New Hampshire diocese $184,000 for lavish meals and travel for himself and a male partner, and for mobile phones and computer equipment he purchased during the time he was a top aide to then-Bishop John McCormack.
He was also found to have written checks to himself and his brother totaling $23,000 from the estate of the late Msgr. John Molan.
He also admitted billing the Catholic Medical Center in Manchester $104,000, or $250 an hour, for consulting work that he never did.
Arsenault held high-ranking positions for the Diocese of Manchester from 1999 to 2009.
He became president and CEO of Saint Luke Institute in Silver Spring, Md., in 2009 but resigned in 2013 after allegations surfaced involving his misuse of Church funds and for his "inappropriate adult relationship."
Arsenault has been ordered to make full restitution for the $300,000 in embezzled funds.
