CINCINNATI (OH)
Mercer County Outlook [Mercer Cty OH]
July 30, 2024
(7-30-24) The pastor of St. Susanna Church in Mason, Fr. Barry Stechschulte, has resigned after more than 500 people signed a petition calling for change after a recent report showed that he ordered the destruction of alleged child pornography and waited six years to report it to police while at a different parish.
After Father Tony Cutcher left Holy Rosary Church in St. Marys…Stechschulte arrived as the new pastor in July of 2012, he and Church Deacon Marty Brown told police that they had discovered what looked like child pornography while refurbishing an old desktop computer from a storage room, which had been used by Cutcher.
Stechschulte moved from Holy Rosary to become pastor of St. Susanna in Mason.
According to a St. Marys Police 2018 police report —
When Stechschulte, who was raised in Minster, arrived as the new pastor in July 2012, he and Deacon Marty Brown told police they discovered what looked like child pornography while refurbishing an old desktop computer from a storage room, which had been used by Cutcher.
“Father Barry said that upon looking at the computer he found two file folders, one containing male homosexual pornography and the other file contained pictures of boys … he said he can only recall boys with no shirts on. I asked him if the kids were obviously underage with him saying ‘yes’ and that they were preteen, probably 8 to 10 years of age.
He did describe the boys as being in provocative poses. He again said he could not recall nudity or not, but it could have been,”
Deacon Brown told police that he took the hard drive out of the computer and destroyed it with a blow torch at the request of Stechschulte.
Cutcher has never been charged in the incident.
Posted on St. Susanna Parish web page –
Important Message from Father Barry
Dear Parishioners,
The last couple of weeks have been difficult ones for all of us at St. Susanna. As I hope you know, I have been very dedicated to our parish and looked forward to continuing to build on everything we have done together these past four years.
However, it has become evident to me, after much prayer and discernment, that, for the good of our parish and school, I should step down as pastor, effective immediately, to be reassigned elsewhere in the archdiocese.
I am grateful for the opportunity I have had to serve the St. Susanna community and work with all of you to build the kingdom of God. It was a great joy to me. You remain in my thoughts and prayers. God bless you and your families.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Fr. Barry Stechschulte
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