Chicago priest resigns after archdiocese discovers misuse of parish funds #Catholic A priest in Chicago has resigned after the archdiocese found that he misused parish funds for “personal expenses,” Cardinal Blase Cupich told parishioners this month. Cupich told St. John Henry Newman Parish in Evanston that the archdiocese had launched a review of the parishʼs finances on March 30 amid “serious questions” about the parishʼs “fiscal administration.” The prelate said in an April 10 letter to the parish that the review found Father Kenneth Anderson “violated a number of core archdiocesan policies pertaining to the proper exercise of good stewardship of parish resources.” Among the reported violations included “the creation and maintenance of a separate bank account into which he deposited substantial parish funds,” Cupich said. Some of those funds “were used to cover costs unrelated to parish needs including his personal expenses.”Anderson resigned after being presented with the findings of the report, Cupich said. The priest also “accepted [Cupichʼs] instruction that, when the full accounting is complete, he is to make restitution for any funds clearly identified as covering his personal expenses.”The archdiocese did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the total amount of funds reportedly misused at the parish. Cupich in his letter said Father Wayne Watts, the pastor of Sts. Joseph and Francis Xavier Parish in nearby Wilmette, oversaw the administration of St. John Henry Newman Parishʼs finances during the review process. The archbishop further said that he had asked the archdiocesan placement board to recommend a new pastor for the parish by July 1. Retired priest Father Gerald Gunderson will serve as parish administrator until the new pastor is appointed, Cupich said. The parish was formed in 2022 after the merging of Sts. Athanasius and Joan of Arc parishes as part of the archdiocesan Renew My Faith campaign.

A priest in Chicago has resigned after the archdiocese found that he misused parish funds for “personal expenses,” Cardinal Blase Cupich told parishioners this month.

Cupich told St. John Henry Newman Parish in Evanston that the archdiocese had launched a review of the parishʼs finances on March 30 amid “serious questions” about the parishʼs “fiscal administration.”

The prelate said in an April 10 letter to the parish that the review found Father Kenneth Anderson “violated a number of core archdiocesan policies pertaining to the proper exercise of good stewardship of parish resources.”

Among the reported violations included “the creation and maintenance of a separate bank account into which he deposited substantial parish funds,” Cupich said.

Some of those funds “were used to cover costs unrelated to parish needs including his personal expenses.”

Anderson resigned after being presented with the findings of the report, Cupich said. The priest also “accepted [Cupichʼs] instruction that, when the full accounting is complete, he is to make restitution for any funds clearly identified as covering his personal expenses.”

The archdiocese did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the total amount of funds reportedly misused at the parish.

Cupich in his letter said Father Wayne Watts, the pastor of Sts. Joseph and Francis Xavier Parish in nearby Wilmette, oversaw the administration of St. John Henry Newman Parishʼs finances during the review process.

The archbishop further said that he had asked the archdiocesan placement board to recommend a new pastor for the parish by July 1.

Retired priest Father Gerald Gunderson will serve as parish administrator until the new pastor is appointed, Cupich said.

The parish was formed in 2022 after the merging of Sts. Athanasius and Joan of Arc parishes as part of the archdiocesan Renew My Faith campaign.

Chicago priest resigns after archdiocese discovers misuse of parish funds #Catholic

A priest in Chicago has resigned after the archdiocese found that he misused parish funds for “personal expenses,” Cardinal Blase Cupich told parishioners this month.

Cupich told St. John Henry Newman Parish in Evanston that the archdiocese had launched a review of the parishʼs finances on March 30 amid “serious questions” about the parishʼs “fiscal administration.”

The prelate said in an April 10 letter to the parish that the review found Father Kenneth Anderson “violated a number of core archdiocesan policies pertaining to the proper exercise of good stewardship of parish resources.”

Among the reported violations included “the creation and maintenance of a separate bank account into which he deposited substantial parish funds,” Cupich said.

Some of those funds “were used to cover costs unrelated to parish needs including his personal expenses.”

Anderson resigned after being presented with the findings of the report, Cupich said. The priest also “accepted [Cupichʼs] instruction that, when the full accounting is complete, he is to make restitution for any funds clearly identified as covering his personal expenses.”

The archdiocese did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the total amount of funds reportedly misused at the parish.

Cupich in his letter said Father Wayne Watts, the pastor of Sts. Joseph and Francis Xavier Parish in nearby Wilmette, oversaw the administration of St. John Henry Newman Parishʼs finances during the review process.

The archbishop further said that he had asked the archdiocesan placement board to recommend a new pastor for the parish by July 1.

Retired priest Father Gerald Gunderson will serve as parish administrator until the new pastor is appointed, Cupich said.

The parish was formed in 2022 after the merging of Sts. Athanasius and Joan of Arc parishes as part of the archdiocesan Renew My Faith campaign.