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	Sacred Heart Priest Ousted over Money Queen Anne News [Washington] April 4, 2007 http://www.zwire.com/site/tab1.cfm?newsid=18169646&BRD=855&PAG=461&dept_id=513931&rfi=6 Fr. Robert Ivan Dawson was removed from Lower Queen Anne's Sacred Heart Catholic church on March 23 after an audit revealed he had allegedly misspent parish funds, according to Archdiocese spokesman Greg Magnoni. "Funds were redirected from their intended use to parish remodeling," he said. That included work on the sanctuary and on a new altar in the basement, said a parishioner who spoke on condition of anonymity. "It's just outrageous," the parishioner said. "We had a fine altar; we didn't need to do that." "Where the issue was with Fr. Dawson, he diverted funds from ordinary operations to a capital program," explained Magnoni. He compared the problem to Gov. Christine Gregoire dipping into general funds to build more highways. Magnoni wasn't sure how much money was involved, but the parishioner thinks hundreds of thousands of dollars were spent. However, a staffer at the church who isn't authorized to speak for the parish said it was a small amount. "The father had the opportunity to correct the problem, and he didn't," said Magnoni, who added that none of the money was used for personal purposes by Dawson, a South African priest who had served at Sacred Heart for a year and a half. Dawson is a Redemptorist priest, and the order is based in Denver, said Magnoni, who added that the order will decide what to do with the priest. Magnoni wasn't sure where Dawson is now, but a church staffer thinks he's been moved to Toronto. His order has promised to take care of the problem, according to Magnoni. "The Redemptorists have assured the parish they will re-appropriate funds that were misdirected," he said.
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