Roman Catholic Priest Resigns Amid Investigation

By John Christoffersen

Associated Press

STAMFORD — A Roman Catholic priest resigned as pastor of a Darien church amid an investigation into allegations of financial wrongdoing, church officials told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

Bridgeport Bishop William E. Lori said he “requested and received” the resignation of the Rev Michael Jude Fay of St John Roman Catholic Church as a result of a preliminary internal review. He said the diocese has advised federal authorities of its investigation.

“Moreover, a thorough and fair independent investigation of the financial stewardship of St John Parish by an external auditor will be completed, under the direction of outside counsel,” Lori said in a statement.

Fay served the St Rose Parish in Newtown between 1977 and 1986, first for a year as a deacon and then as a parish priest.

The diocese has been examining Fay’s leadership of the Darien parish “and his personal suitability for priestly ministry,” the diocese said in the statement. Parishioners were told of the resignation Wednesday.

Federal authorities are also investigating the allegations, said Tom Carson, spokesman for the US Attorney’s office. Darien police also said they were assisting federal authorities.

Telephone messages were left Wednesday with Fay seeking comment. Fay, 55, has been pastor since 1991, church officials said.

Lori’s announcement came the same day that a private investigator turned over results of his investigation of Fay and the church’s finances to Darien police. Vito Colucci Jr, an investigator based in Stamford, said he documented at least $200,000 in church money used to pay Fay’s lavish lifestyle with another man. Colucci said money was spent on limousine rides, dinners at famous restaurants, cruises. and gifts.

He would not say who hired him to investigate Fay, except to say they were connected to the church.

“We have really confirmed everything the people hired us told us,” he said. “You have a church where the people gave their hard-earned money for the work of God not knowing what goes on behind the scenes.”

Among expenditures that Colucci said were charged to a church credit card were two airline tickets from New York to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and a $2,600 ring purchased at Cartier in New York.