Posted on 11/13/2002 6:03:55 AM PST by robowombat
Priest faces removal from Arlington diocese By George Archibald THE WASHINGTON TIMES
The Roman Catholic bishop of Arlington has told a local priest that he will be permanently suspended from the diocese for obeying a subpoena to testify in a civil lawsuit about another priest's adultery with a parishioner's wife. Bishop Paul S. Loverde informed the Rev. James R. Haley in an Oct. 28 formal notice that he is being removed for violating a gag order a year ago, which barred him from disclosing wrongdoing by priests in order "to avoid scandal, to maintain ecclesiastical discipline and to protect the reputation and privacy of both the faithful and priests of this diocese."
The action prompted a national Catholic watchdog group to call for a local investigation of the bishop for intimidation of a witness in a civil proceeding. At the opening session Monday of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' meeting in the District, Bishop Loverde voted in favor of a requirement that bishops and priests police each other on issues involving improper sexual activity.
Nonetheless, the bishop said Father Haley must come to the chancery on Dec. 2 "to inspect the acts of the case" against him for providing evidence in the adultery case of the Rev. James A. Verrecchia and Nancy Lambert. Her ex-husband, Jim A. Lambert, sued the diocese for its failure to stop the affair that resulted in the breakup of his marriage. The lawsuit was dismissed as untimely during the summer.
The bishop decreed in an Oct. 28 notice that Father Haley was to be permanently suspended. The notice said that Father Haley's testimony violated a church canon "regarding illegitimate harm to the reputation of another and the right of privacy of all believers, as well as [a canon] regarding the right of defense in an appropriate ecclesiastical forum." "[The] public availability of extremely scandalous and defamatory material in his deposition warrants immediate action."
The bishop said he had consulted with experts in canon law and "the field of psychology, and have also sought fraternal advice from other diocesan bishops" before taking the step to remove Father Haley permanently without any judicial proceeding within the church.
Bishop Loverde yesterday declined to comment on the matter. Diocese spokeswoman Linda Shovlain said the bishop "strongly holds the principle that canonical and confidential matters involving him and/or any priest of the Diocese of Arlington are not discussed in the media." She added: "Bishop Loverde has not and will not punish anyone for bringing him a concern or complaint about a diocesan priest, employee or volunteer. Father Haley's ecclesiastical status will be determined according to canonical processes."
Roman Catholic Faithful (RCF), a national watchdog group, obtained a copy of Father Haley's 225-page July deposition in the Lambert case from the public court record, said President Stephen Brady of Petersburg, Ill. The group had posted the deposition on its Web site.
"We were trying to help Jim Lambert. Father Haley had no part in our posting the deposition on the Internet," Mr. Brady said yesterday in an interview. "RCF was greatly offended by what was going on in Arlington, and we wanted to get the facts out to the Catholic public. I couldn't understand how a bishop could tolerate even the appearance of impropriety in the breakup of [the Lambert] family."
James Bendell, RCF's attorney, who is based in Port Townsend, Wash., said Arlington authorities should investigate the bishop's action against the priest. "Because Father Haley was under subpoena to appear and testify in [the Lambert] case, RCF believes that the relevant prosecuting authorities in Virginia should closely examine Loverde's conduct to see if his actions may constitute intimidation of a witness in a civil proceeding," he said.
Father Haley, former assistant pastor at three churches in the diocese, referred inquiries to his attorney, Gregory L. Murphy of Alexandria. Mr. Murphy called the bishop's concerns about invaded privacy rights "nothing more than a red herring. Father Verrecchia revealed his love affair with Mrs. Lambert when he inadvertently downloaded his 300 e-mails to her from his laptop into the rectory's computer system."
Father Verrecchia was pastor at All Saints Catholic Church in Manassas. Father Haley was assigned to the church in June 1997. In the deposition, Father Haley said that he became aware of the affair in 1998. The deposition states that he provided details of the affair to Bishop Loverde in June 1999. The bishop then transferred Father Haley to St. Lawrence Church in Alexandria a month later.
Bishop Loverde took no action when Father Verrecchia denied the affair, or even after it became known he had impregnated Mrs. Lambert in December 1999, Mr. Murphy said.
Sounds like the mafia.
And a RICO violation.
What about not coveting thy neighbor's wife? I thought that was a pretty definitive edict.
ARLINGTON DIOCESE RACKED BY SEX SCANDALS
By James Bendell, Esq.
In recent years the diocese of Arlington, Virginia has enjoyed a reputation of doctrinal orthodoxy in a sea of otherwise troubled and dissenting American dioceses. However, an RCF investigation has uncovered evidence that the absence of heretical teaching has not prevented a cesspool of sex scandals from brewing. Moreover, the attitude of the diocese’s new bishop toward homosexuality may signal a threat to what was previously a solid diocesan vocations program.
Fr. “Jim”, the Home-wrecker
Our investigation begins with what must be one of the most bizarre sex scandals to strike any diocese in recent years. It is a story of betrayal, infidelity and cover-up. The story begins with one Mr. Jim Lambert who, in 1998, was leading what appeared to be a normal life with his wife Nancy and their four children. At the same time, we meet one Fr. James A. Verrechia, the shining star and ‘golden boy’ of the Arlington diocese, whose resume included the following:
· Youngest pastor of the largest parish in Virginia (All Saints in Manassas)
· Bishop’s Master of Ceremonies for 10 years. · Board of Directors of Catholic Charities. · Board of Directors of St. Mary’s Seminary. · Judge on the Diocesan Tribunal. · Instructor of the Diocesan Extraordinary Eucharistic Ministers. · Frequent columnist for the Arlington Catholic Herald. · Instructor in the permanent Deaconate program.
In August of 1998, Jim Lambert started to become suspicious of the relationship between his wife Nancy and Fr. Verrechia. At an August 11 priests’ picnic, he noticed his wife and Fr. Verrechia walking alone away from the other party-goers. Jim confronted Fr. Verrechia in a meeting on August 14. At that time, the priest deflected any questions regarding their relationship, and merely explained to Jim that his wife was “spiritually gifted….and at a place spiritually very few can ever go.” He said that part of this process meant that Nancy’s life would be “turned upside down.”
On August 17, Nancy traveled to Alexandria with Fr. Verrechia and his sister to have dinner. On August 19, 22, 26 and 30 Verrechia was a dinner guest at the Lambert house.
On August 31, Nancy phoned her husband to say that she was delayed while shopping. Suspecting that she was lying, Jim drove by the priest’s church and saw that he and his wife were in deep conversation walking together. Jim confronted Verrechia again, but he refused to discuss his relationship with Nancy. On September 9, Jim and Nancy were invited to a party at another parishioner’s house. In plain view of the other party-goers, Nancy and Fr. Verrechia sat in the hot tub together, laughing and drinking wine, and acting like two teenagers in love. Several other priests were at the party. When confronted with this scandal upon their return home, Jim’s wife told him that the problem was “his, not hers.”
Finally, on September 6, Jim and Nancy met with one Fr. Jack Riley, one of Nancy’s ‘spiritual advisors’. Nancy read her husband a letter in which she stated the she did not love him, and was not sure if she ever loved him. Fr. Verrechia had helped her write the letter. Fr. Riley suggested that Jim and Nancy seek counseling from Alex Ferrote of Arlington Catholic Charities.
They began counseling with Ferrote who, during a joint session on September 24, advised Nancy to stop seeing Fr. Verrechia. Two days later Nancy and Fr. Verrechia were flirting and enjoying themselves at the Knights of Columbus Oktoberfest. Several parishioners were so scandalized that they left and vowed never to return to the parish.
On October 16, Jim Lambert met with a priest friend in the Baltimore diocese who was outraged at this behavior and who voiced the opinion that any priest informed about the scandal should have reported it immediately. He called the Arlington diocese and demanded that it immediately schedule a meeting with Jim Lambert. On that same day Jim met with Fr. Robert Rippy, Chancellor of the Arlington diocese. Jim explained the entire situation to Fr. Rippy and asked for help. He was especially emphatic about the effect the scandal was having on the lives of his four children.
On October 3, 1998 Fr. Verrechia wrote Jim Lambert a letter in which included the following remarks:
It was never my intention to break up your marriage.
I have worked and prayed with your wife for many months now to bring her to conversion in an attempt to show her how to cope with her marriage and the trials she has endured in it and to hopefully save it by reconciliation with you.
In regards to Nancy’s infatuation with me, I must tell you that it is not unusual for such things to occur in spiritual direction and/or counseling.
Fr. Verrechia recommended that Lambert consider making a Total Consecration to the Blessed Mother. He said that to assist in Jim’s marital reconciliation, he would follow the recommendations of Fr. Riley and Alex Ferrote and stop seeing Nancy. On November 6, Chancellor Rippy sent a letter to an attorney in which he stated that the diocese had “no reason to believe” that a sexual relationship exists between Fr. Verrechia and Nancy Lambert.
Meanwhile, just a few weeks prior to this Fr. Verrechia had received an e-mail from Nancy Lambert in which she stated:
This is quick because it isn’t spiritual, but it’s funny so I had to share. Remember we ran into the Myers while walking? Well, Pat just has to relate the ‘funniest’ story to Jim when she sees him at the ball field. Apprarently, Hannigan asked her parents if I was Mrs. Verrechia! I am sure that Jim didn’t think that was funny! I am even surprised he related the story to me. Out of the mouths of babes….
Eternally Yours,
Nancy
On that same day (9/13/98) Fr. Verrechia sent an e-mail to Nancy in which he closed by saying “Feel my hug and know of my kiss.” All during this time Fr. Verrechia was receiving spiritual direction from a parishioner known as the “prophet”, who claimed to be seeing the Virgin Mary.
In November the Arlington diocese sponsored a Sexual Misconduct Seminar for its employees. The main speaker was Chancellor Rippy, the priest who had assured Jim Lambert that it had no knowledge of sexual activity between his wife and Fr. Verrechia.
Despite his promise to stay away from Nancy Lambert, Fr. Verrechia spent an afternoon with her and the Lambert children on November 22. Jim Lambert called Fr. Rippy on November 24 to complain about this. Fr. Rippy acted concerned but said that he could not force Fr. Verrechia not to attend a parish function. On December 4 Jim called Fr. Verrechia and told him to leave his wife and family alone. Fr. Verrechia said he would not. On that same day Jim called Fr. Rippy again, who said he would speak to Verrechia.
In January of 1999, Jim and Nancy Lambert officially separated, with Jim moving out of the house.
In June of 1999, Jim Lambert wrote to the recently installed (3/99) Bishop Paul S. Loverde to complain about the fact that Fr. Verrechia was still seeing Nancy, and again expressing particular concern about the effect of this conduct on his children. Also in June, Bishop Laverde learned that Fr. Verrechia was sending and receiving e-mail to Nancy Lambert. The bishop was also informed that Verrechia was using his computer to visit gay pornography web sites.
Bishop Laverde called Jim Lambert and stated that he wanted to meet to resolve the situation, but only after Jim and his lawyer signed a draft form letter allowing them to “talk freely”about things. Jim declined, and again demanded that Fr. Verrechia stop seeing his wife.
Nancy Lambert then complained that she felt that a diocesan priest was “investigating” her private life. On August 24, 1999 Chancellor Rippy wrote to Nancy Lambert to assure her that the diocese was not investigating her private life, and asked her to report again if she felt that a priest was making similar inquiries in the future. On October 12, 1999 Fr. Rippy again wrote to Nancy Lambert and expressed the view that she should understand why some persons may be concerned about her relationship with Fr. Verrechia, now that he was “no longer [her] confessor or spiritual director.” He also stated that Fr. Verrechia had assured the diocese in the fall of 1998 that “he had indeed restricted his relationship” with her. Fr. Rippy then stated, “Since we had no information to the contrary at that time, we concluded our inquiry at that point.”
In January, 2000, Nancy Lambert became pregnant with the child of Fr. Verrechia while still married to Jim Lambert. In February, the Lamberts were divorced. In April, an announcement was made to the parish school staff that Fr. Verrechia was gone. In April, Nancy took the children to Atlanta, Georgia. That same month she and Fr. Verrechia were ‘married’. When the child of Nancy Lambert and James Verrechia was baptized, Fr. Steven Leva acted as godfather. Fr. Leva is a priest at Holy Family parish in Dale City. He was subpoenaed as a witness in the child custody trial that took place regarding the children of Jim and Nancy. He testified that he had been Nancy’s confessor. He also testified that “he was happy for them” when he found out that Nancy was pregnant with Fr. Verrechia’s child. He also testified that Jim Verrechia “had a good reputation”, is a “man of good character”, and is “a very caring man and someone who has a lot of love for people.” As in most cases, the trial judge awarded custody of the four Lambert children to the mother, Nancy Lambert. She now she lives with them and her new ‘husband’ Jim Verrechia in Atlanta, Georgia.
One of Lambert girls received her first Holy Communion in May, 2000. Jim only found out six days before the Mass and could not attend. Nancy’s brother acted as the deacon for the liturgy (her father is also a deacon). On August 12, 2000, after enduring two years of agony as he watched his marriage dissolve and his children taken from him, Jim Lambert suffered a heart attack. RCF asks for prayers for Jim and his family, especially his four children.
But this woman went to the priest for counseling. If it were an MD, or a psychologist etc., they would lose their license and face prosecution.
I sure hope Fr. Haley fights this through the canon law courts all the way to Rome. I think the bishop is greatly exceeding his authority, not to mention putting Fr. Haley in a bind by forcing him to choose between contempt of court charges and disobeying his bishop. There are situations in which a bishop could command his flock not to cooperate with civil authority, but protecting an adulterous ex-priest isn't one of them, IMO.
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