Florida priest convicted on grand-theft charges

February 24, 2009

Father Francis Guinan, a priest of the Diocese of Palm Beach, was convicted yesterday on charges of grand theft. Another priest who served at the same parish, Father John Skehan, pled guilt to grand theft last month. Local media reported last month that the pair may have stolen $8.5 million from the parish.

The priests’ actions have provided fodder for a local columnist: “Coming after the church's decades-long reluctance to investigate and expose pedophiles, this adds to the portrait of a dysfunctional, undisciplined organization incapable of monitoring itself,” Ralph De La Cruz writes.

 

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Further information:

• Former Delray Beach priest guilty of grand theft (South Florida Sun-Sentinel)
• Theft case brings Catholic churches' oversight into question again (South Florida Sun-Sentinel)
• Bookkeepers testify against Florida priest in grand-theft trial (CWN, Feb. 19)