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	Oct. Trial Date Set for Louisa Priest Attorney Says Rodis Could Change His Not-Guilty Pleas in Church Embezzlement Case By Calvin R. Trice Richmond Times-Dispatch March 31, 2007 http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD%2FMGArticle%2FRTD_ BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1173350503039&path=!news&s=1045855934842 Louisa — A Louisa County judge yesterday set an October trial date for the Catholic priest accused of stealing donations from two parishes he led. The Rev. Rodney L. Rodis pleaded not guilty in Louisa Circuit Court to 13 embezzlement counts. He is accused of taking money from the churches from 1995 until last year. However, it remained uncertain yesterday whether Rodis' case will ever be heard in court because his attorney said Rodis may change his pleas. Rodis' lawyer, John R. Maus, said many of the financial records requested for the case against Rodis haven't arrived. Without a chance to review records from banks and wire transfer services, Maus said he isn't sure whether his client should contest the charges. "I don't know enough about them to encourage [Rodis] to plead guilty to those charges," Maus said after the hearing. Rodis made no comment yesterday. Rodis, 50, is accused of diverting donations from Immaculate Conception Catholic in Bumpass and St. Jude Catholic Church in Mineral. He waived his right to a jury trial, so a circuit judge would hear evidence in the case and decide on his guilt or innocence. Each embezzlement count carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years. Authorities accuse Rodis of opening a bank account that no one else knew about for the two churches, depositing donations into that account and using the money for other purposes. Police have not said what he used the money for, but Louisa prosecutor R. Don Short has subpoenaed records from several banks and from transfer services that wire money to the Philippines. Rodis is a Philippine national. Maus said in court that only one of the six financial institutions that had records subpoenaed has responded. For years while Rodis was pastor of the two Louisa parishes, he lived with a woman he told neighbors was his wife and with three children. Catholic priests are supposed to be celibate. He retired in May for what he told church officials were health reasons. During yesterday's hearing, Judge Timothy K. Sanner asked Rodis for his plea on each of the theft counts. For the first count, the priest looked up for a moment before saying, "Not guilty, your honor." Among the courtroom observers was Philippine-American Cesar Rodriguez, a former St. Jude Parishioner who now lives in Maryland. Rodriguez said he was disappointed in the damage that the Rodis case has done to the reputations of Filipinos and Catholic priests from that nation. "I'd like to believe he's not guilty, but we'll see what the trial brings out," Rodriguez said after the hearing. Contact staff writer Calvin R. Trice at ctrice@timesdispatch.com or (540) 574-9977.
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