July 30, 2005

Priest who reportedly used gay dating Web site assigned to prisons

FRESNO (CA)
KESQ

FRESNO, Calif. A Catholic priest who was removed from a Merced church after he reportedly used a gay dating Web site has been assigned to work with prisons.

Church officials say the Reverend Jean-Michael Lastiri will be director of detention ministry in the eight-county Diocese of Fresno.

Bishop John Steinbock removed Lastiri from the Saint Patrick's Catholic Church in Merced last year and said he was sending him to a treatment center in Maryland because of indications Lastiri had used a totally inappropriate Web page and chat room.

Posted by kshaw at July 30, 2005 05:48 PM