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	Parishioners Defend Priest Who Hired Private Investigator The Associated Press, carried in Hartford Courant May 24, 2006 http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-24161031.apds.m0340. bc-ct--bishmay24,0,1461283.story?coll=hc-headlines-local STAMFORD, Conn. -- Parishioners at a Darien church are defending a priest who hired a private investigator to look into the pastor, saying he courageously exposed a scandal and should not be punished. The Rev. Michael Madden resigned Tuesday as acting administrator at St. John Roman Catholic Church, just a week after he was appointed to replace the Rev. Michael Jude Fay. Madden admitted he and the parish bookkeeper hired the investigator to look into Fay, who resigned last week over accusations he spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in church funds to pay for luxuries related to his life with another man. Local and federal authorities are investigating the accusations, but Fay has not been charged. Bridgeport Bishop William Lori, who served on a national committee to respond to the sexual abuse crisis that rocked the Catholic Church, was grilled Tuesday night over his handling of the incident by parishioners who support Madden. "There was not a person there who was not defending Father Mike," said Ken Byrne, a church member. "All we want is the guy not to be blamed for doing the right thing." Madden defended his hiring of the investigator at a Mass on Tuesday morning, saying he was "sorry and angry that the diocese failed to come to my rescue when there were red flags waving everywhere." Later in the day, the diocese issued a letter from Madden in which he wrote that he made "a huge mistake" in hiring the investigator, apologized and defended the diocese's handling of the matter. Some of Madden's supporters said they suspected the letter was coerced. "That's not a Father Mike letter," said Cynthia Ashburne, a church member and first communion teacher. "To me, it was so obvious these were words being put in his mouth." Joseph McAleer, spokesman for the diocese, denied the letter was coerced. "The letter was written by Father Madden," McAleer said. Madden declined to comment Wednesday, except to thank his supporters and pledge his cooperation with the investigation. "I'm not surprised. But I've been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support and affection from the parish," Madden said. "I want to do everything I can to assist the bishop and the parish finance board in their ongoing investigation to get to the bottom of this." Lori said Tuesday he was "deeply saddened" by the developments Tuesday surrounding Madden. "They have cast a shadow on all the hard work the diocese has done to be open and honest with the parish family of St. John's about this extremely difficult situation," Lori said. Lori said Madden will remain as a parochial vicar at St. John. He said he would not comment further during the investigation. Vito Colucci Jr., an investigator based in Stamford who reported his findings to Darien police, said he documented at least $200,000 in church money that Fay spent on limousine rides, dinners at famous restaurants, cruises and gifts. Property records also show Fay owned a condominium with Clifford Fantini in Florida. Fantini described himself as a "very good friend" in an interview last week, but denied the two men were involved in a relationship. Parishioners want assurances that Madden will be allowed to remain as a priest at the church and they want new leadership at the church. They also question why the diocese did not act more quickly against Fay. "Everybody wants to know what happened and what went on," Ashburne said. "I'm just fed up all the time with the hierarchy of the Catholic Church trying to sweep things under the bed." Ed Sforza, head of the parish council, defended the diocese's handling of the incident, but said even those who don't think Madden should have hired the investigator want him to stay at St. John's. Katrina O'Connor said Madden was a popular priest with all ages who supported her when she converted to Catholicism four years ago. Madden was known to "high-five" children and connected with young children, while Fay was better known as the priest who drove an Audi and wore cashmere scarfs, she said. "I can only imagine how desperate the situation got for them to turn to that investigator," O'Connor said. "I'd much rather have seen an apology letter from Father Jude than Father Mike. Bishop Lori should have turned to us and said, we thank Father Mike for helping us in this investigation."
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