We have followed the story of St. John’s parish in Darien, CT for a while, now, haven’t we? The pastor, Fr. Michael Jude Fay was suspected by his associate pastor, Fr. Michael Madden, and the bookkeeper, Bethany D’Erario of financial shenanigans and other things. The initial scenario seems to be that Madden, frustrated with the diocese’s inaction, hired a private investigator to check things out and get evidence. The diocese of Bridgeport claims it acted as soon as it was informed that something was amiss. We’ll see.

(By the way – today’s NYTimes article clarifies – or muddles – the timetable. Interesting:

Father Madden was not punished for being a whistle-blower, Father McGrath said. In fact, Bishop Lori promoted him to parish administrator after Father Madden told him about the financial discrepancies, Father McGrath said. It was after his promotion that Father Madden hired Mr. Colucci, a Stamford private investigator.

So…the amateur, at-a-distance judgment might be that Fr. Madden did this as administrator of the parish, which would seem to be appropriate within the role given him, especially if he felt the diocese was not following through. )

The news today is that Fr. Madden has announced he is leaving the parish and the priesthood. This link goes to an interview with him:

“I worked before I was in the seminary, so I know what it is like to sit in the pews, pay bills and the responsibilities the people in the pews have — I think I brought some of that perspective to my ministry — I very often came up against difficulty in the priesthood because there seems to be a desire for uniformity, and for better or for worse, I’m a little different,” he said.

Father Madden said throughout his priesthood, and the last four years at St. John, he did his very best to serve the people of his parishes. However, the strain of the last years at St. John and especially the last few months, have proved to be too much for him, he said. Father Madden said it is not fair to the people of St. John or himself that he continue in his current position.

“In all of my assignments, I aimed to serve the people of God, which I saw as my responsibility and charge of ordination, but there’s a point where I’ve determined the effect on my own life personally, and my own faith, was enough of a toll,” he said.

Father Madden said when he and bookkeeper Bethany D’Erario decided to hire a private investigator to research the financial misconduct of Father Fay with their own money (he declined to specify the cost), he had no idea the diocese would react with the severity that it did.

“I did not think that I was betraying the diocese by hiring the private investigator,” he said.

Bishop William E. Lori, head of the Diocese of Bridgeport, publicly denounced the hiring of the private investigator, Vito Colucci, this past May at St. John, after Father Madden announced to early morning parishioners that it was he and D’Erario who had done so. The initial findings by the investigator were discovered and unexpectedly made public by various media outlets.

The diocese sent out a press release with an apology from Father Madden for his actions, and at a meeting with parishioners, who voiced support for Father Madden, the bishop stated that the priest had gone behind the diocese’s back.

Father Madden said he is not sorry for hiring the private investigator and that he felt it was the right thing to do in light of Father Fay’s alleged continuous financial misconduct. Any inappropriate relationships that Father Fay may or may not have had (he was allegedly involved in a homosexual relationship while serving as pastor) were not the priority, according to Father Madden.

“I just wanted it to stop — for the people’s sake. What was going on in the house, that was my problem, but the financial stuff, that was the people’s problem, and that I could do something about,” he said.

Fr. Fay also has a brief interview in the paper in which he categorically denies any wrongdoing of any sort, including anything sexual about his relationship with his male friend.

From the January/February issue of Philadelphia Style magazine, via a Connecticut  newspaper:

The Rev. Michael Jude Fay, who resigned as pastor from St. John Roman Catholic Church in May amid accusations he stole at least $200,000 from the parish, and wedding planner Cliff Martell appeared with other couples in the January-February issue of Philadelphia Style magazine — dubbed the "sexiest issue ever" — answering the question, "Where was your most romantic Philadelphia dining experience?"

Their response: "La Boheme because it’s intimate with delicious food." Martell’s arms are wrapped around Fay’s shoulders in the photo, taken at a fundraiser for the Alliance for Philadelphia’s Animals hosted by the magazine. Fay, who is not identified as a priest, is wearing a three-piece gray suit with a matching purple necktie and pocket square. Martell is wearing a black suit with French cuff sleeves and cufflinks.

The same issue features an advertisement, purchased with a church credit card, for Martell’s wedding-planning business.

Fay, 55, and Martell, 54, who also goes by the last name Fantini, own a luxury condominium together near the ocean in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and use the same address on Manhattan’s East 63rd Street.

The two also vacation together. During a cruise in February 2005, the men requested a cabin with a Queen-size bed instead of two twin beds. Both listed their occupation as "director" on the cruise lines’ registration form.

(Photo is not from the magazine, but is of the two, from an article in the Dallas Morning News)

Discussions at Dom’s and at Dawn’s.