BishopAccountability.org
	Priest Charged in Embezzlement Scheme Appears in Va. Court By Kristen Gelineau WVEC [Virginia] January 18, 2007 http://www.wvec.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D8MNSNE80.html A Roman Catholic priest accused of embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from two rural parishes appeared in court Thursday as his former parishioners looked on grimly. The Rev. Rodney L. Rodis, 50, appeared briefly in Louisa Circuit Court before Judge Timothy Sanner. He did not enter a plea and the judge continued the case until Feb. 26. Rodis is free on $10,000 bond. Rodis, who did not respond to questions outside of court, wore a bulky green jacket and it was not apparent if he was wearing his cleric's collar. He shuffled into court with the aid of a cane. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Richmond has said Rodis embezzled more than $600,000 from his two parishes, but a state police investigator said the sum could top $1 million. On Jan. 8, Rodis was indicted on one count of felony embezzlement. Rodis had been pastor at St. Jude in Mineral and Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Bumpass between 1993 and May 2006. He is retired. In court, about a dozen people watched their former priest with a mixture of anger and disbelief. Many said they felt betrayed by a man they had once considered a charismatic leader. "We're all in a state of shock and very, very disappointed," said Kathleen Pfeiffer, 63, of Mineral, a member of St. Jude since 1996. "Nobody suspected this. He's just a very little, round, jovial guy," Pfeiffer said. "We all went out of our way to help him and help the parish." St. Jude parishioner Cindy Honchar, 52, of Mineral, said she read an e-mail from Rodis that was sent late Wednesday night to a fellow parishioner, in which he apologized for the trouble and asked parishioners to pray for him. Several other parishioners said they received the same e-mail. St. Jude parishioner Larry Fridley, 58, of Mineral, was skeptical of the sincerity of any apology from Rodis. "He's sorry he got caught," he said. Court records show that police seized from Rodis' home bank records and other items, including a receipt for Lucky Money dated May 24, 2006. Lucky Money Inc. is a service for wiring money to the Philippines, Rodis' home country. Rodis is also suspected of having a wife and children. He and Joyce Sillador-Rodis are listed as husband and wife on a deed of trust for a Spotsylvania mortgage on a house they shared with three children, according to records in Spotsylvania County Circuit Court. Rodis has told the Richmond Times-Dispatch he is not married to Joyce Sillador, though neighbors say he has referred to her as his wife for the past decade. Authorities allege Rodis opened an account in a church's name at a bank in Fredericksburg, deposited donations in the account and then diverted them for personal use. The diocese said it became aware of financial irregularities in the fall when a donor to Immaculate Conception requested verification of a $1,000 contribution for tax purposes and the parish could not find a record of the donation. Honchar described Rodis as a well-loved priest, who was especially popular with children. Honchar regularly donated to the church, but does not yet know if any of her money was stolen. The scandal has left the entire parish shaken, she said. "He would always end the sermon: 'be a good person,' she said. "And I think that haunts us."
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.