W.Va. bishop orders predecessor to repay nearly $800,000
The former spiritual leader of West Virginia’s Catholics must make restitution for nearly $800,000 for misspent funds and must apologize to those he targeted for sexual harassment and workplace intimidation, his successor announced Tuesday
Retired Bishop Michael Bransfield must also apologize to his former flock of West Virginia Catholics for the damage he caused to them and the local church’s reputation through the scandals that broke into public view upon his abrupt resignation in September 2018.
Pope Francis had already imposed a series of sanctions on Bishop Bransfield in the wake of a church investigative task force’s report on his conduct over 13 years in office.
Those sanctions included prohibitions on presiding at Mass publicly or residing in West Virginia, where he had planned to retire. The pope left it up to his successor to determine how he would make restitution.
That successor, Bishop Mark Brennan, who was installed in August, announced the plan Tuesday.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/wva-bishop-orders-predecessor-to-repay-nearly-dollar800000/ar-BBXnnLl?ocid=spartanntp&pfr=1
