Priest Indicted for Alleged Thefts from Northboro Parish
By Elaine Thompson
The Rev. Stephen M. Gemme, former pastor of St. Bernadette Parish in Northboro was indicted last week on charges he embezzled more than $230,000 from the parish and school to fuel a gambling habit. A Worcester County grand jury on Thursday returned indictments against Rev. Gemme, charging him with five counts of larceny by a common scheme over $250. He is to be arraigned in Worcester Superior Court Wednesday. The Worcester Catholic Diocese last year said the pastor, who was appointed to the parish in 2003, had stolen methodically from two separate church and school accounts since at least 2009. It went undetected until a member of the school's advisory board flagged a financial irregularity in a school account and informed Bishop Robert J. McManus in mid-July. Rev. Gemme immediately acknowledged a gambling problem, according to the diocese. He was removed from his posts and sent him to residential treatment at an undisclosed location for a self-confessed gambling addiction. Originally from Westminster, Rev. Gemme taught for five years at St. Peter-Marian Junior-Senior High School in Worcester before entering the seminary. Contact: elaine.thompson@telegram.com
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