Update: Fired Chaplain Worked Only at Avera St. Luke's, Mother Joseph Manor

By Jeff Bahr
Aberdeen News
September 25, 2013

http://www.aberdeennews.com/news/aan-fired-chaplain-worked-only-at-avera-st-lukes-mother-joseph-manor-20130925,0,5552163.story

Avera is not commenting on the nature of the sexual harassment that caused the Rev. Charles Emezie to be terminated as a chaplain at Avera St. Luke's Hospital and Avera Mother Joseph Manor in Aberdeen.

 "It is considered a personnel matter, and all I can say is that Rev. Emezie is no longer an employee of Avera St. Luke's," said Daryl Thuringer, vice president for marketing and public relations for Avera, by phone from Sioux Falls. No patients or residents were harmed, he said.

 Thuringer stated Avera cannot discuss the case out of respect for all involved.

A news release announcing Emezie's termination on Tuesday from the Catholic Diocese of Sioux Falls stated, "Recent allegations of sexual harassment of adult female staff members have been found credible."

 Emezie, 59, was employed as chaplain at Avera St. Luke's Hospital and Avera Mother Joseph Manor in Aberdeen for more than 18 years. He had an apartment at Mother Joseph Manor, said administrator Tom Snyder. Emezie has moved away, he said.

 He did not work for any parishes in the Catholic Diocese of Sioux Falls, said diocese director of communications Jerry Klein.

 Emezie is a priest of the Diocese of Orlu in Nigeria. His bishop in Nigeria has been notified that he may no longer practice ministry in the Sioux Falls Diocese, according to the news release.

 Thuringer would not discuss the process by which the allegations were evaluated nor what role the diocese and hospital administration played in that evaluation other than to say the following: "As a Catholic Health System we are part of the Catholic community. Bishop Paul Swain has responsibility for that community in Eastern South Dakota. We have a close working relationship with the diocese."

 Thuringer would not specify whether the inappropriate conduct took place at Avera Mother Joseph Manor or at Avera St. Luke's.

 The press release said the allegations against Emezie constitute violations of the diocesan Sexual Misconduct policy.

 “Therefore, Father Emezie's faculties to minister as a priest in the Diocese of Sioux Falls have been revoked and his bishop in Nigeria has been notified that he may no longer practice ministry in the diocese.”

Contact: jbahr@aberdeennews.com