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	Healing Sought at Greenwich Church after Former Priest Is Defrocked By Martin B. Cassidy The Advocate February 11, 2008 http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/local/scn-sa-nor.stmichael4feb11,0,4614252.story GREENWICH - Monsignor Peter Cullen asked for understanding from parishioners at St. Michael Church yesterday, saying it was regrettable if they learned from newspaper articles that former pastor Michael Moynihan had been cast out of the priesthood. "I am a wounded healer and I am deeply hurt as you are deeply hurt," Cullen said at the 11 a.m. Mass. "Let's heal each other." Cullen invited the congregation to seek out himself and other priests of the parish to share their reactions after the Diocese of Bridgeport defrocked Moynihan, after the New York Post reported the 55-year-old priest was living in a New York City apartment with a man. Moynihan was forced to resign as pastor of St. Michael last January after allegations of financial mismanagement. Bishop William Lori had ordered Moynihan to break off his ties to Michael Fawcett some time ago, but Moynihan disobeyed him, diocesan officials said. Yesterday, the Diocese of Bridgeport published a statement in the weekly St. Michael bulletin confirming Moynihan was defrocked once it confirmed that Fawcett, a musician who had worked at the church, was living in an apartment leased under Moynihan's name. Because the media reported on continued contact between Moynihan and Fawcett before the diocese could act, Cullen asked parishioners to wait for all the facts. Diocesan officials have said before the Post's story, the diocese could not confirm claims of a relationship between Fawcett and Moynihan. "Please understand that we are committed to communicating all the facts to the parish before you read stories published in a sensational fashion in the newspaper," Cullen said. "Unfortunately in this case, the timing of events made that impossible." Cullen also lauded parishioners who had continued to support Moynihan. "Many of you parishioners have remained loyal to Father Moynihan," Cullen said. "Loyalty is a quality I admire, including loyalty to the priesthood. In this event we are a deeply hurt community." Moynihan was forced to resign after the diocese said he had kept parish funds in two off-the-books bank accounts and used questionable accounting practices. Moynihan has not been accused of taking money. In the diocese's statement, it promised to release a report on the continuing investigation. In the parking lot after the Mass, several unidentified parishioners said their affiliation to the parish was not shaken, and they did not feel judgmental or disillusioned toward Moynihan over his alleged mishandling of funds, or personal life since his resignation. "I'm still very fond of him because he is a priest of the Catholic Church," one man said. "Are you of the Catholic faith? If you are, then you know that forgiveness is a very powerful thing." Another woman said that she was able to separate her feelings about Moynihan from her faith. "We'll see what happened in due time," she said. "We all hope we can move forward from this." Cullen said that the overall reaction of parishioners toward his comments had been gratitude for expressing his own feelings. Cullen said he planned to speak at all the Sunday Masses yesterday at the North Street parish. "There isn't a lot more that I can say," he said. "People were glad to hear it talked about."
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