Judge Allows Priest To Delay Prison Term

NEW HAVEN (AP) — A federal judge has granted a Darien priest, convicted of embezzling more than $1 million from his parish, a reprieve from starting his three-year prison sentence.

The Reverend Michael Jude Fay was scheduled to report to prison Tuesday, but the judge on Monday granted him his third delay. Fay is the former pastor of St John Roman Catholic Church and served at St Rose of Lima Parish in Newtown from 1977 to 1986. He served there as a deacon for one year and then as an assistant pastor for eight years in the local parish. He must now surrender by noon, August 6, to begin serving his sentence.

Fay, who pleaded guilty to a federal fraud charge in September 2007, set up secret bank accounts to pay for travel around the world and to buy a condominium, authorities say. He resigned last year as pastor of St John Roman Catholic Church.

Fay, who has prostate cancer, had made his fifth request for a delay last week to allow more time for the Bureau of Prisons to determine whether it can give him a new cancer drug.

Prosecutors contend that Fay should report to prison because his medical providers have intentionally delayed giving the bureau information on the cancer drug.