Allentown Diocese Removes Priest at Reading Church, Reading Eagle, November 16, 2009

Allentown Diocese Removes Priest at Reading Church

Reading Eagle
November 16, 2009

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A priest at a Reading church who also was chaplain at Central Catholic High School has been removed from both positions by the Allentown Diocese after he acknowledged he had an inappropriate relationship with an 18-year old woman, the diocese said.

Rev. Luis A. Bonilla Margarito 2003

The removal of the Rev. Luis A. Bonilla Margarito, 40, was announced to his parish at Saturday's Mass at St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church, officials said.

Bonilla had been pastor at the church, 1018 N. Eighth St., since 2006 and chaplain at the high school since 2008.

His relationship with the woman was recent, officials said.

Diocese officials reported the matter to Berks County detectives.

Bonilla, who was ordained in 2000, is no longer permitted to function as a priest and will be going to a treatment facility outside the diocese, officials said.

Prior to his appointed at St. Joseph's, he had served at three other churches, including St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church, 326 S. Fifth St.

The diocese would not release any further details.

Central Catholic officials and county detectives were unavailable.