"SUGAR DADDY" PRIEST CHARGED W/ LOOTING CHURCH FUNDS FOR GAY LOVER: Rev. Backs Principal In Lawsuit

NY DAILY NEWS ^ | 6/21/02 | MIKE CLAFFEY

[Liz]

Queens parochial school principal who angered Catholic Church leaders by accusing a priest of looting school coffers to pay for a gay lover has won the backing of a prominent local Catholic educator.

"Your courage in stopping this outrage, even at the risk to your own employment, has taught all of your pupils a lesson they will long remember," the Rev. Richard Van Houten, president of Archbishop Molloy High School in Jamaica, wrote to Barbara Samide.

Van Houten went so far as to hint in the letter that he would come to Samide's rescue if she is ousted as principal of St. Elizabeth School in Ozone Park.

"If we have an opening in your field, we would be honored to have a person of your integrity on our faculty," he wrote.

"Your actions — and the tragic inaction of the clergy — underscore the need to end the culture of secrecy and the lack of accountability in the church," he added.

Samide, 39, blew the lid off a simmering tale of alleged sin and theft of school funds in a lawsuit filed in Queens Supreme Court on Wednesday against Brooklyn Bishop Thomas Daily and the Diocese of Brooklyn, which also runs Catholic parishes in Queens.

The suit charges that the vicar for southern Queens, Msgr. James Spengler, repeatedly ignored Samide's complaints that the Rev. John Thompson stole thousands from St. Elizabeth School coffers and spent much of it on a 19-year-old male go-go dancer he met at a Greenwich Village nightclub.

In addition, the suit charges that Thompson used his church-issued American Express card to pay for trips to a Florida nudist resort and a weekly visit to a Village massage parlor.

Samide states in the suit that Thompson, 50, spoke openly about being a "sugar daddy" to a teenage "houseboy," and moved his lover into the St. Elizabeth rectory in January 2001.

Samide, who joined the school in September 2000, also charges that Thompson stole $14,000 in profits from a school candy drive.

Frank DeRosa, a spokesman for the Brooklyn Diocese, insisted yesterday that Samide's job is not in jeopardy, adding, "She is the principal of the school."

The Queens district attorney's office has empaneled a grand jury to investigate the charges of missing funds. Samide is expected to be the star witness before that panel.

DeRosa said the church will "fully comply" with prosecutors' request for the school's financial records.

Thompson resigned from the parish March 23 and is living with his family.

[chance33_98]

I always heard priests led dull lives. Guess I was wrong!

[Psalm 73]

Um, not wanting to risk a fourth straight day of getting flammed - I have "no comment".

[Alberta's Child]

When the final chapter about this scandal is written, we are going to find that many of the most perverted freaks the human race has ever produced have spent the last 30 years functioning as Catholic priests.

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

Time for a good freep to Brother Van Houten:

Bro. Richard Van Houten, President
718 441-2100
president@molloyhs.org

Archbishop Molloy High School

[RightOnline]

I'm speechless. Truly speechless. Doesn't happen often.

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

ping

[Puddleglum]

Oh, Psalm 73, I'm a Catholic and I say this deserves comment! What a nest of freaks that seems to be being uncovered - I'm sick of it! I defend the Church as an enduring institution but have always thought little of our feely-mcneely US Catholic bishops. It used to be only disappointment/anger at their flaccid policy edicts, but now this scandal has burned me up. They need the roof lifted off their house and the light of day shone into every dark corner. I'm only sorry that the poor parishoners are gong to have to foot the bill for the sins of their so-called leaders. I guess we need another St. Francis to inaugurate a second counter-Reformation.

[StonyMan451]

Amen to that! I serve on the Pastoral Council of a parish whose pastor was just removed for sexual child abuse (the same day the bishops voted for the new policy). Despite the archdiocese's claim to openness, we were never told of the fact that he had an adopted teenage "son" living with him in the rectory of one of his previous parishes. Sounds like a red flag to me, and something we would certainly would have wanted to know while he was pastor. Yet the archdiocese still has not acknowledged this! I found out from a former parishoner who knew him at the time. And the archdiocese of Baltimore still claims that this was the first allegation against him.

There needs to be a thorough house cleaning. I really think the Pope needs to remove EVERY bishop in the U.S. and replace them with people he has personally interviewed.

[WKB]

I really think the Pope needs to remove EVERY bishop in the U.S. and replace them with people he has personally interviewed

No pun intended but from the looks of the Pope he better get started!

[Siobhan]

FYI ping

[ThomasMore]

I am totally disgusted with the situation. The pervert priests need to be outed and booted.

[egarvue]

If I recall correctly, yes the Rev. Thompson resigned from St. Elizabeth. But according to an article I read yesterday, he is still a priest, and says Mass at a different parish. How corrupt, how foul. How could the Church do this?

[AKA Elena]

I e-mailed a thank you to Father Van Houten for his FAITHFILLED support of Elizabeth.

[Liz]

More on gay blade Rev Thompson:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/703777/posts

[ventana]

Done! And what a fine school he is running. V's wife.

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

"Rev. John Thompson stole thousands from St. Elizabeth School coffers and spent much of it on a 19-year-old male go-go dancer he met at a Greenwich Village nightclub."

Ah...here we go...

They should investigate the fuzzy accounting at the colleges and universities next. This will not be the last such story. Sadly. Just imagine if Fr. Thompson had been a prof. at Fordham or Georgetown. The boy lover would have qualified for medical benefits.

[ventana]

If we continue to freep the good one's, if we pray for them, they will gain strength and grace as will we and they will be emboldened to action. And pray to St. Michael. V's wife.

[ventana]

Dear God, that IS! a mind bender. Sickening.V's wife.

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

In addition, the suit charges that Thompson used his church-issued American Express card to pay for trips to a Florida nudist resort and a weekly visit to a Village massage parlor. Samide states in the suit that Thompson, 50, spoke openly about being a "sugar daddy" to a teenage "houseboy," and moved his lover into the St. Elizabeth rectory in January 2001.

I want to hear any bishop, among those who did so in Dallas, try to explain now how this has nothing to do with homosexual subculture.