BRANSON (MO)
KYTV
BRANSON, Mo. –- A former church employee’s lawsuit has divided a congregation and brought protests from a woman named in the lawsuit as a priest's "girlfriend." Glenna McKitterick of Branson filed the lawsuit in federal court in Springfield last week.
McKitterick says Monsignor Philip Bucher, the priest at Our Lady of the Lake Roman Catholic Church for whom she worked, sexually harassed her. She says Bucher fired her for complaining about it.
A lot of people are caught in the middle here. They include members of the parish and a woman named in the suit as Bucher's girlfriend.
“She was extremely dedicated," said Catherine Gamez, a friend of McKitterick.
“I've got a lot of respect for him," said Diane Diebold, who has known Bucher for more than a decade. "He's been a great priest for us."
Both women are members of Our Lady of the Lake in Branson.
"I think he's done a great job,” said Diebold. “He's helped build a new church. I think that's what he was sent here to do, to help with that, and he's accomplished that."
Posted by kshaw at June 16, 2005 05:35 PM