Priest Suspended from Bedford VA

By Richard Weir
Boston Herald
November 23, 2012

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1061176921&srvc=rss

A Catholic chaplain assigned to the Veterans Administration Hospital in Bedford has been suspended while the Archdiocese of the Military investigates “personal conduct matters” involving the priest, Boston church officials said in a statement today.

The statement, released by the Archdiocese of Boston, said the Rev. Luke Odor had been residing at the rectory of the Church of St. Isidore in Stow since 2007 while serving as a priest at the VA center.

“The Archdiocese for the Military has informed us that they have started an investigation into personal conduct matters involving Father Odor. The investigation does not involve any matters related to Saint Isidore’s Parish or the Archdiocese of Boston,” the statement noted. “As a result of this action Father Odor’s faculties have been suspended by the Archdiocese for the Military and in keeping with our policies, the Archdiocese of Boston has followed with similar action.”

Odor, who is from Aba, Nigeria, was banned from living at St. Isidore church and no longer allowed to function as a priest within the Archdiocese of Boston, the statement said.

A spokeswoman for the Archdiocese of Boston declined to say what the investigation involved and referred inquiries to the Archdiocese of the Military, which supervised Fr. Odor.

Taylor Henry, a spokesman for the Archdiocese of the Military based in Washington D.C., could not immediately discuss the issue, saying in an email that it would be “difficult getting more information” since the chancery is closed until Monday.

“The Church prays for all those impacted by these events and thanks Fr. Walter Woods for his ongoing pastoral care of the St. Isidore’s parish family,”the statement said.