JEFFERSON CITY (MO)
KRCG-TV, Ch. 13 [Jefferson City MO]
April 25, 2023
By Jennifer Weiser
The Diocese of Jefferson City said a retired priest was guilty of “abuse of ecclesiastical power.”
A press release from the diocese said a tribunal of three priests from the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois heard the case against Father Ignazio Medina.
They found him guilty of financial misconduct while he was the pastor of St. Stanislaus Parish in Wardsville.
The investigation uncovered a bank account that Medina had set up in the parish’s name, unknown to the council.
Medina was the pastor of St. Stanislaus from 2012 to 2021, leaving for Our Lady of the Lake in Lake Ozark in July 2021.
When he left, he is accused of closing down the account, leaving a $300,000 discrepancy.
Chancery officials questioned Medina about the money, and he gave them access to account records.
Officials say that Medina had written himself a check for $200,000, and a check to a sibling for $100,000.
When they discovered the checks, diocese officials contacted law enforcement. The diocese said that the FBI is investigating.
The tribune came to their decision on April 6. They acknowledged that Medina paid back all the money.
Medina no longer holds an office in the diocese.
He will also have to pay about $26,000 to cover the costs of the audit and legal expenses.