By Kim I. Hartman
Digital Journal
July 3, 2010
http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/294308
[with video]
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| Father Kevin J Gray, former pastor of Sacred Heart/Sagrado Corazon parish appeared in court today in Waterbury, Connecticut. |
A former pastor of a Roman Catholic parish in Waterbury is facing larceny charges. Rev. Kevin J. Gray is accused of stealing over $1 million of church money to pay for a secret life of luxury. Gray said he took the money because the church owed it to him.
He was known for his kind, loving and generous way. The Rev. Kevin J. Gray was a popular priest who appeared to live humbly, forgoing a car and walking to Mass from another parish where he lived so that a Catholic charity could use his space at the rectory. Parishioners thought he had cancer and admired how he helped immigrants in his largely poor parish in Connecticut reports wtop.com.
While claiming he was suffering from cancer and away for days on end seeking treatment, Gray allegedly was hitting the town big in New York City and Boston with the misappropriated funds from Sacred Heart/Sagrado Corazon Parish in Waterbury where he was a former pastor.
A much needed audit revealed his pattern of excesses which included male escorts, international travel, strip bars, fine dining, and expensive clothing and an apartment in New York City. All paid for from the coffers of Sacred Heart/Sagrado Parish.
How much does it total? "About a million," Gray told authorities without hesitation when asked how much he took from the church account, according to his arrest affidavit says Channel 8 News wtnh.com.
Gray was arrested and charged with first-degree larceny. He is accused of stealing $1.3 million over seven years from the church, police said. He was arraigned Tuesday in Waterbury Superior Court and was being held on $750,000 bond, court officials said.
Church officials found payments to hotels such as-The Waldorf-Astoria, New York Palace Hotel and Copley Square in Boston. Shopping spree's from fashion favorites like Armani, Saks 5th Avenue and Brooks Brothers were among the designer labels he wore when away from his parishioners in Connecticut.
Police said Gray told them he grew to hate being a priest and was upset with the archdiocese, believing he received the worst church assignments. He said he made checks payable to himself in excess of his salary over the years and admitted to having a secret phone deal in which an antenna was placed in the church steeple to generate cash.
"We are deeply saddened by the events which have recently had such a profound affect on Sacred Heart/Sagrado Corazon parish," the Archdiocese of Hartford said in a statement.
Archdiocese officials said they are working with the parish to improve its financial controls and deal with its debts.
"At the spiritual level, we continue to pray for healing and consolation for the parish family as it moves forward and for guidance and reconciliation for Father Gray as he encounters the legal proceedings that await him," they said in the statement.
The archdiocese asked police to investigate after it discovered during a financial review that Gray may have taken more than $1 million dollars to pay the bills for his personal comforts.
Gray was pastor at Sacred Heart from 2003 until April 15, when he was granted a medical leave. He was later suspended after the financial review discovered the alleged misuse of over a million in church monies.
The Judge said due to the scope of the case and the nature of the circumstances the bond was appropriate with Gray considered as a flight risk.
Gray had many supporters from the Latin-American community waiting for him outside the courthouse today. Msgr. John McCarthy said the people love him, even after the shocking details of the state of the church financial books was shared with the church members.
Gray's next court date is set for July 21st at the courthouse in Waterbury.
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