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	Ex-employee Gets Probation for Denville Church Theft By Peggy Wright Daily Record October 4, 2007 http://www.dailyrecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081004/COMMUNITIES12/810040320/1005/NEWS01 Former bookkeeper for St. Mary's stole $27,856 over two years A former part-time bookkeeper for St. Mary's Church in Denville was placed on probation for three years Friday and ordered to perform 100 hours of community service for stealing $27,856 from the church over two years. Patricia Cielinski, a 42-year-old mother of five from Dingman's Ferry, Pa., was accepted by state Superior Court Judge Salem Vincent Ahto into Morris County's Pre-Trial Intervention program for first-time offenders. She pleaded guilty Friday to theft from the church between June 2005 and July 2007, but if she successfully completes her PTI terms, the charge will be dismissed and she will not have a criminal record. If she violates her probation, Cielinski could be sentenced to up to five years in prison. Cielinski already has repaid $15,000 to St. Mary's Church, where she was responsible for all accounting duties. St. Mary's pastor, the Rev. Martin Glynn, has declared that the church is satisfied with the $15,000 but Morris County Assistant Prosecutor Brian DiGiacomo said his office is adamant that Cielinski fully repay the church $27,856 so that parishioners are not cheated. Cielinski's attorney, Emily Springer, has reserved the right to ask the church again to accept just the $15,000, even though the prosecutor's office objects. Cielinski admitted to the judge that she often worked overtime and from home, and to compensate herself she used the signature stamp of a church official to make out extra checks. Authorities have said she wrote at least 30 checks to herself on a church account and forged them by using the stamp of a church monsignor. Upon becoming pastor in 2007 at St. Mary's, Glynn appointed several people to the parish finance council who noticed "discrepancies," authorities said. An outside auditor, recruited by Glynn, confirmed that something was wrong and the pastor notified the Diocese of Paterson, which in turn told him to contact authorities. Springer said after the PTI admission that Cielinski worked extra hours from home and believed she was compensating herself for hours legitimately worked but did not want to risk going on trial. Peggy Wright can be reached at (973) 267-1142 or pwright@gannett.com.
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