Embezzlement Hearing for Catholic Priest, WRIC [Louisa VA], February 27, 2007

Embezzlement Hearing for Catholic Priest

WRIC [Louisa VA]
February 27, 2007

http://www.wric.com/Global/story.asp?S=6145201

FROM 8NEWS

There are new developments in the case of Father Rodney Rodis, a Louisa priest accused of stealing up to a million dollars from his parishioners. For the first time, his lawyer addressed allegations that the Catholic priest had a wife and children.

Court documents obtained by 8NEWS show the Catholic priest, Rodney Rodis, lives in Spotsylvania County, with a wife named Joyce Rodis, and three children. After a brief court hearing Monday, when 8NEWS confronted Rodis' attorney Jack Maus, about the alleged family, this was his response:

"I can tell you very certainly that Father Rodney is not married, although, as we know in the Commonwealth today, marriage relationships are taking on different meanings than they were when we were growing up, but he definitely is not married," says Rodis' attorney Jack Maus.

8NEWS: "You're saying he's not legally married?

Attorney Maus: "I'm saying he's not married."

8NEWS: "The court papers say, list him as having a wife."

Attorney Maus: "The court papers say a lot of things, but he is not married."

8NEWS: "Does he have children?"

Attorney Maus: "I can't answer that."

When 8NEWS asked Maus whether the relationship is a common law marriage, his response was, "I didn't say that."

Maus did confirm that people living with Rodis moved out of the home last week to relocate to New Mexico, people he would only describe as "family."

Meanwhile, Maus says he is reviewing financial records concerning Father Rodis. Rodis is accused of stealing up to one million dollars from two churches in Louisa County over the last five years.

Father Rodis will be back in court for his arraignment on March 12.