Bishop makes apology over theft

THE bishop of the American diocese from which two Irish priests allegedly stole $8.6 million (€6.8m) has apologised from the pulpit to the parishioners from which the money was stolen.

The Bishop of the Palm Beach Diocese, Gerald Barbarito, told the congregation of Vincent Ferrer church: “I’m truly, truly, truly sorry.”

“Priests are humans and they make mistakes. Some make mistakes we can certainly understand. Others not so. Sexual abuse, stealing money, we cannot understand this. Prayer is our strongest resource. The Lord is the only perfect one and we rely on his strength.”

Monsignor John Skehan and Father Francis Guinan are alleged to have stolen the money from the collections at St Vincent Ferrer over a number of years.

Father Skehan had served at the church for the last four decades. The 73-year-old was arrested on a grand theft charge on Wednesday at Palm Beach International Airport upon returning from Ireland.

He was released on bail of €400,000 last Friday.

Police say he used the money to buy property on the Cliffs of Moher and a pub in Kilkenny, as well as spending $134,075 on a woman described as his girlfriend, $11,688 on family members, and over $250,000 on himself.

Guinan, 63, allegedly used the money to fund a gambling habit as well as to pay for a number of properties. He is still on the run and is thought to have left the country.