BishopAccountability.org
	Former Pastor Seeks Donors to Pay Legal Bills By Angela Carella and Stephen P. Clark The Advocate [Darien] May 25, 2007 http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/local/scn-sa-nor.fay4may25,0,7494206.story?coll=stam-news-local-headlines The Rev. Michael Jude Fay, former pastor of St. John Roman Catholic Church in Darien accused of taking $1.4 million in parish money and spending it with his boyfriend, has written a letter to family members and friends asking them to contribute toward his $115,000 legal bill. The letter, dated April 30, apparently went to some St. John parishioners. "As you can only imagine, this past year has been complicated and extremely painful," Fay wrote. "As proceedings come to a conclusion, I am left with a very difficult legal bill (of) $115,000. I am reaching out to my friends and family for help. I don't know if there is anything you can do or may want to do to help me, but if you choose to I would be very eternally grateful." He explained that contributions may be sent to the Hartford law firm, Robinson & Cole, which is representing him, and provides the account number. He also provides a routing number and other information on a Bank of America account for those who want to send a contribution. "What's left of me is the same as you always knew me . . . compassionate and faith filled," Fay wrote. "God bless you and yours and I pray for you always." He signs it, "Love to all of you, Father Jude." Fay has been under investigation by the FBI and U.S. attorney's office for months. It is unknown what he meant by "as proceedings come to a conclusion." The FBI and U.S. attorney do not comment on open investigations. Fay lists a Fort Lauderdale, Fla., address at the top of the letter. In December, Fay transferred his half of a luxury Fort Lauderdale condominium, which he owned with his wedding-planner boyfriend, Cliff Fantini, to the parish to pay back some of the missing money. The condo is said to be worth about $500,000. Joseph McAleer, spokesman for the Diocese of Bridgeport, had little to say about the letter yesterday. "I really don't want to comment on it," McAleer said. "The only thing I want to say is that the diocese had no knowledge that this letter was being sent." Bill Rowe, a deacon at St. John and lifelong parishioner, said he did not receive a letter from Fay but heard about it from another parishioner a week and a half ago. The letter is a terrible reminder of what Fay did to the parish, Rowe said. "You think he would ask for forgiveness and then ask for some money," Rowe said. "But to come out and say help me out, he's depending on us. I'm pretty sure he's got plenty of money stashed away somewhere." Fay resigned as pastor last May. John Franko, a parishioner for nearly 20 years, said he didn't receive a letter but learned about it yesterday. "I'm flabbergasted," Franko said. "I don't know what to say. I guess he has friends, and I guess some of his friends can support him. But I can't and I don't know if I would want to." Pete Wray, a co-chairman of the pastoral planning team, said he learned about the letter when a reporter called him yesterday. He said he was glad to hear that the proceedings are coming to an end. "A lot of us would like to see closure," he said. Asked whether he thought it was appropriate for Fay to solicit parishioners, Wray said, "I'm not going to get worked up one way or another. That's his prerogative if he has friends willing to pitch in. I'm not going to judge him on that." It was not the first time Fay sent a solicitation letter to St. John parishioners. Last year, before the scandal broke in May, the parish was having trouble making its monthly payments to the diocese. Fay wrote to a small number of wealthy parishioners asking them to donate $50,000 each "so that I can get us back on our feet" while he worked with the parish finance board and others "to design an increased giving campaign as well as an endowment program." "Throughout the course of this past year many unexpected and difficult bills have thrown our parish coffers into a turmoil," Fay wrote. A message left yesterday evening with Robinson & Cole attorney James Wade was not returned. A message left with St. John pastor, the Rev. Frank McGrath, also was not returned. Vito Colucci, the Stamford private investigator hired last year by the parish bookkeeper and another St. John priest to trace the missing money, said Fay's request shows nerve. "Instead of saying he's sorry for what he did, he sends another letter like last year, saying give me money," Colucci said. "They aren't his parishioners anymore. It's absurd. Isn't the diocese angry that this was done?"
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