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	Spotlight in Priest Scandal Shifts to Choir Director By Hoa Nguyen The Advocate February 10, 2008 http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/local/scn-sa-nor.fawcett7feb10,0,5811093.story GREENWICH - Before his picture appeared in the New York Post, Michael Fawcett called his employer to say the tabloid was set to publish a potentially embarrassing piece about him. The story appeared the next day, linking Fawcett, 54, to the Rev. Michael Moynihan, the55-year-old Greenwich pastor who was forced to resign more than a year ago amid allegations of financial mismanagement at St. Michael Roman CatholicChurch. "It did catch us by surprise," said Peter Calamera, a New York-based composer and musician who hired Fawcett five months ago to direct the choral section of his New Age band, which is performing in a show called "Forever and Beyond." The Post article said Fawcett has been sharing a one-bedroom Manhattan apartment with Moynihan for about a decade. The relationship prompted the Diocese of Bridgeport to strip Moynihan of his priestly authority, saying he disobeyed the bishop. Moynihan was told to end his ties with Fawcett some time ago after rumors surfaced about a relationship between the two. Last week, the diocese said it could not substantiate the claims at the time but recently confirmed that the apartment is leased under Moynihan's name and occupied by Fawcett. Fawcett and Moynihan could not be reached for comment. Last year, Moynihan was forced to resign after the diocese said he kept parish funds in two off-the-books bank accounts and used questionable accounting practices. The diocese said it is still investigating the parish finances. Fawcett, who was the children's choir director at the church before leaving a couple of years ago, has been devastated by the recent public scrutiny, Calamera said. "He's really taken a beating with this whole thing," Calamera said. "He's getting raked over the coals." Fawcett who grew up in the South, attended Belmont College in Nashville, Tenn., sang and danced at Opryland USA, then toured in a number of performing venues, according to his profile on the MySpace social networking Web site. In addition to music, Fawcett has a list of television and movie credits, including as a stand-in for Kevin Kline in "The Pink Panther" and an appearance on "Law & Order: Criminal Intent." Calamera said that when he met Fawcett, he immediately liked him. "As far as I'm concerned, he is one of the most sincere and sweetest people I've ever met," Calamera said. "He's probably one of the finest people I've ever met. In show business, it's rare you meet somebody like this." At the church, most parishioners know Fawcett from his work directing the Christmas concert every year, and later running the popular children's choir. Although some of the parents said they didn't care for Fawcett, others thought the world of him. "He was a very patient man and he was a very kind man," said Dawn Clisham, a 43-year-old Greenwich woman whose daughter joined the choir under Fawcett's direction. "He actually started my daughter in singing and she continues to sing at the choir at the church." Diocese officials have said before the Post's story and their confirmation of Moynihan's lease of the apartment, they could not substantiate the claims of a relationship. But some parishioners said there was no denying it. "Everyone knew about it, it was just kept quiet," said Barbara Straessle, 50, of Greenwich, who said her daughter started in the church choir under Fawcett's direction. "When you belong to a church, you don't want to stir up anything. You feel like you're being disloyal if you start saying anything." Straessle said Fawcett wouldn't be missed, adding she feels betrayed by Moynihan. "He didn't tell the truth, Father Michael, and so I think, also, when you have a person like that, how can Bishop Lori know if there was something going on?" she said. Other parishioners said they had heard the rumors, but didn't think much about it. "I did start hearing some things, another mother whose daughter was in the choir said something was going on, something between the two of them," said Mary Bopp, 55, of Greenwich, another parent of a choir member who said Fawcett was good with the children. "I kind of heard these rumors, and I just thought they were pretty outrageous."
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