By Paul Peirce
The Tribune-Review
August 27, 2011
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/westmoreland/s_753766.html
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| Rev. Emil S. Payer |
Westmoreland County District Attorney John Peck has confirmed that his office is investigating finances at Seven Dolors Parish in Yukon.
"The (Greensburg) diocese recently turned over an audit and information pertaining to several financial accounts at Seven Dolors Parish. That information is now being reviewed by county detectives and remains under investigation," Peck said.
Peck declined further comment because the investigation is in its initial stages.
Members of the 101-year-old church in South Huntingdon were told at Masses on Aug. 13-14 that the Rev. Emil S. Payer, 66, was being placed on leave as parish priest.
In a prepared statement released in response to questions from the Tribune-Review on Friday, the diocese said, "(Bishop Lawrence) Brandt has placed parish pastor, Father Emil S. Payer, on administrative leave effective Aug. 11."
In April, the diocese confirmed it began auditing church accounts after several members raised concerns.
Diocese spokesman Jerry Zufelt said that the diocese would not discuss specifics about its findings and referred inquiries to the district attorney.
The diocesan statement said three accounts were subject to the audit.
"The review was comprehensive, reviewing every expenditure in two parish accounts, one of which was an unauthorized account established several years ago outside of diocesan financial policies and reviews. A third account was reviewed for specific activity," the statement said. "The review examined transactions starting with fiscal year 2008-2009 in two of the accounts and as far back as fiscal year 2005-2006 in the unauthorized account."
"Due to the nature of these questions and pursuant to diocesan policy, diocesan officials presented the audit report to the Westmoreland County District Attorney," the statement said.
"Financial accountability in a pastor or anyone else handling parish funds is important, and the diocese takes its oversight responsibilities in this area seriously. The matter is now in the hands of law enforcement officials, and we must wait for the outcome of their investigation," the diocese said.
Brant has named the Rev. Kenneth G. Zaccagnini, pastor of St. Barbara Parish in Harrison City, as temporary administrator at Seven Dolors, according to the diocese.
The diocesan newspaper, The Catholic Accent, recently commemorated Payer's 40th Jubilee with a story and photograph noting his May 8, 1971, ordination by former Bishop William G. Connare at Blessed Sacrament Cathedral in Greensburg.
The Accent reported in 2009, during the church's centennial celebration, that the Seven Dolors parish "grew out of the immigrants who settled in Yukon, a mining camp." The predominantly Slovak group sent a letter to Bishop John Francis Regis Canevin of Pittsburgh on Aug. 29, 1909, requesting that the parish be established.
The first Mass was celebrated there on May 3, 1914.
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