Priest Seeks Forgiveness after Stealing from NY Mills Church

By Rocco Laduca
The Observer-Dispatch
June 20, 2012

http://www.uticaod.com/features/x836136625/Priest-seeks-forgiveness-after-stealing-from-NY-Mills-church

The Rev. Valentine Krul, left, stands next to his attorney, William Borrill, on Wednesday, June 20, 2012, in Oneida County Court as Krul is sentenced to five year of probation and previously six months in jail for stealing more than $87,000 from the Church of the Sacred Heart and St. Mary Our Lady of Czestochowa in New York Mills while he was pastor between 2008 and 2011.

UTICA — The Rev. Valentine Krul asked for forgiveness Wednesday as he was sentenced for stealing more than $87,000 from a New York Mills church.

Krul, 61, of Forestport, was placed on five years of probation after already completing six-months of incarceration at the Oneida County jail for his guilty plea to second-degree grand larceny.

"I ask forgiveness from my family and my friends and the church for my actions," Krul told Judge Barry M. Donalty in Oneida County Court.

Krul stole thousands of dollars from the Church of the Sacred Heart and St. Mary Our Lady of Czestochowa in New York Mills while he was pastor from October 2008 until January 2011. Of that money, Krul used more than $46,000 of it to buy a condominium in Florida.

Krul's sentencing was postponed several times while he sat behind bars in jail so that the condo could be sold.

On Wednesday, Krul's attorney, William Borrill, told Donalty that $52,901 had been paid back to the Roman Catholic Diocese in Syracuse using funds from the condo sale, Krul's own retirement and donations from Krul's supporters.

Krul will now have to pay back the remaining amount of $34,389 during the five years he is on probation.

Although Donalty said he knew Krul's remorse was genuine, he still was disturbed by the circumstances of the thefts and Krul's excuses for why he did it.

"You attended to your needs and not the needs of your parishioners," Donalty said.

While Krul has said that the stress of running the church during its consolidation caused him to steal the money, Donalty said there was a more obvious reason for Krul's wrongdoing.

"In reality, the real reason was your alcoholism," Donalty said. "You are an alcoholic, Father, and you have to realize you are an alcoholic."

Even after Krul completed an alcohol rehabilitation program, Donalty said he was disturbed to hear that Krul still drank alcohol.

"I don't need to beat you up," Donalty finished. "I'm sure you've beaten yourself up enough."

Although Krul knows he let down God, Borrill later said Krul still hopes his pleas for forgiveness will be accepted so that he can return to his priestly duties. He currently is having discussions with the Diocese to see what his future holds.

"He has paid the price, not only financially, but also to his own reputation and the priesthood," Borrill said.

The case was prosecuted by First Assistant District Attorney Michael Coluzza.