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	Court Papers Allege US Priest Indicted for Embezzlement Was Married Associated Press, carried in International Herald Tribune January 13, 2007 http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/01/14/america/NA-GEN-US-Married-Priest-Indicted.php Fredericksburg, Virginia: A Catholic priest suspected of stealing more than $600,000 (€465,000) from two churches was living a double life as a family man in a neighboring county, according to court documents. The Rev. Rodney L. Rodis, a 50-year-old from the Philippines, was indicted earlier this week on a felony embezzlement charge. A document included in papers committing Rodis to jail listed him as living with a wife and three children in Fredericksburg, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported Saturday. It was not clear whether Rodis is the children's father. "It's not a crime for someone to be married, but I imagine there might be some people mad at him over that," Louisa Commonwealth's Attorney R. Don Short told The Associated Press on Saturday. The Catholic Diocese of Richmond was surprised to hear about Rodis' living arrangements, diocese lawyer William Etherington said, as were neighbors in the subdivision where the family had lived in a two-story brick home for at least eight years. Bev King, who used to live near Rodis, said she was "totally dumbfounded" to hear he was a priest. Neighbors said Rodis — who lived with a woman he referred to as his wife and three children ranging in age from about 5 to 20 years old — told them he was in the import-export business. They said he often was gone for days or weeks at a time. "I did think there was something strange," King said. "He was always vague about what he did." The Spotsylvania County real estate assessment Web site lists Joyce Sillador as owner of the house, and neighbors said Rodis' wife's name was Joyce. No one answered the phone at a number listed for the address. The Most Rev. Francis X. DiLorenzo, bishop of the Richmond Diocese, already has suspended Rodis' faculties, meaning Rodis is not allowed to represent the diocese or perform priestly duties. Rodis, a citizen of the Philippines, was pastor at St. Jude Catholic Church and Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, both in Louisa County, until May, when he retired due to health problems, Short said. An investigation began in November after church officials found that a donation to the parishes had not been recorded. Rodis allegedly set up a separate church bank account, where he funneled some donation money from September 2001 through October 2006, Etherington said. Rodis appeared in Louisa General District Court on Thursday, when he agreed to surrender his passport as part of an agreement in which his bond was reduced from $100,000 (€78,000) to $10,000 (€7,800). He is scheduled to appear in court again on Thursday. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison. Rodis was ordained a priest in the Philippines in 1986 and has been living in the United States since 1991. After coming to the Richmond diocese, Rodis served as parochial vicar at St. Mark Catholic Church in Virginia Beach for one year and then chaplain at Mary Immaculate Hospital in Newport News for a year before going to St. Jude and Immaculate Conception, parishes he had led since 1993. John Williams, a member of Immaculate Conception, said he assumed Rodis lived in a small rectory for the parish pastor near St. Jude. He said Rodis was the best priest he had ever had and that he couldn't imagine Rodis in jail or leading a double life. "I've never heard one negative word about him," Williams said. Neighbor Bob Hagan said Rodis was diligent about his yard and that the family seemed nice. "I figure the religious issues are for him to sort out and the legal issues are being sorted out for him," he said.
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