Bronx Priest Skips Mass Services after Accusations of Stealing $1m from Parishes to Use on S&m Romance with Boyfriend

By Chelsia Rose Marcius
New York Daily News
December 11, 2015

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/bronx/bronx-priest-accused-stealing-1m-parishes-no-show-article-1.2462995

Pastor Peter Miqueli was a no-show for morning services at St. Frances de Chantal in Throggs Neck after a blockbuster lawsuit filed Thursday accused him of looting more than $1 million from two city churches and using the cash on a wild S&M romance with a beefy boy-toy.

Miqueli led morning mass the day before, so his Friday absence sparked speculation about his future at the 88-year-old Catholic church now in open revolt against him.

“Miqueli remains the pastor of the parish,” Joseph Zwilling, a spokesman for the Archdiocese of New York, told the Daily News Friday.

Zwilling declined to say when Miqueli was expected back on the altar but stressed an "audit is ongoing."

“We’re not saying we believe (the allegations) or don’t believe them,” Zwilling said. “We are still looking to get to the bottom of this.”

Peter Miqueli (l.) reportedly paid $1,000 per rough sex session with his hunky lover, Keith Crist (r.). The priest and his boy-toy shared a house in Brick, N.J.

Rev. Peter Miqueli (l.) reportedly paid $1,000 per rough sex session with his hunky lover, Keith Crist (r.). The priest and his boy-toy shared a house in Brick, N.J.

He said the archdiocese was ready to meet with anyone offering evidence that might substantiate the disturbing accusations outlined in the lawsuit brought by parishioners at St. Frances de Chantal as well as Miqueli’s old church, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, on Roosevelt Island.

The complaint filed Thursday in Manhattan alleges Miqueli paid $1,000 a pop for regular role-playing sessions in which he acted as the “slave” to his hunky muscle-bound “master” Keith Crist — and even drank Crist’s urine.

The men spent time together at a house in Brick, N.J., that Miqueli bought with $264,000 cash several years ago, and the scandal-plagued priest has paid $1,075 a month toward rent on Crist’s Park Avenue apartment, the lawsuit claims.

Crist’s former girlfriend Tatyana Gudin told The News the accused lovers found each other through online reviews and photos posted on sites including Rentboy.com.

Gudin said she saved damaging text and email messages about the affair and once spoke with Crist about an alleged incident involving a minor who found gay porn on a rectory computer at St. Frances de Chantal.

One parishioner (not pictured) said that it was "common knowledge" Miqueli was stealing, as another called him "a troubled man, not a good man."

Zwilling confirmed that the incident was reported and investigated.

He said the material was found on a rectory computer used by “many people.”

“Lots of people had access. We looked, and yes we found inappropriate material on it, but it was impossible to tell who was doing it,” Zwilling told The News.

”It was (a computer) at the front desk of the rectory, not on Father Miqueli’s personal computer,” he said.

He said the incident led to a tightening of guidelines and restrictions on use of the device.

Miqueli, 53, stands accused of skimming money from his church's collection baskets, a fund set up to fix a pipe organ and the parish thrift shop.

Six years ago, Miqueli paid $264,000 cash for the house that he and lover Keith Crist shared together.

The lawsuit claims the fleecing of his flock paid for his New Jersey house, dozens of international vacations, illegal drugs and the services of his “homosexual prostitute and ‘sex master’ Keith Crist.”

“This lawsuit seeks to finally put an end to this truly sinful conduct,” the 36-page complaint filed by lawyer Michael Dowd states.

Crist, named as a co-defendant, refused to answer questions when reached by The News.

Priests at the parish rectory and Miqueli's sister Laura, who was seen leaving the building Friday afternoon, also declined to comment.

"He's a troubled man, not a good man,” parishioner Janeen Ruzzi, 45, said Friday after a mass led by Father Stephen Asomah.

“Everything that we thought was pretty much true. We always had suspicions of him, we kind of hoped they (the archdiocese) would look into this,” Ruzzi said. “We're only asking them to look into our suspicions, that's all they had to do."

She claimed parishioner complaints stretched back to Miqueli’s days serving at St. Sylvester Church on Staten Island.

"There are so many people that know what's going on, there are so many priests that know what's going on, but they can't do anything about it. That's up to the cardinal, that's up to the archdiocese to do something about it. They're not handling it,” she claimed.

She said parishioners believe Miqueli discontinued the use of rectory security cameras at St. Frances De Chantal in an act of bad faith.

One apparent Miqueli supporter printed up copies of a prayer titled, "Have Mercy on Your Priests, O Lord!", and handed them out to parishioners Friday.

"Why pray for priests?” the prayer read. “He is another Christ — respect him; He's God's representative — trust him; He is your benefactor — be thankful to him ... He is human — do not hastily condemn him ... If you must tell his faults — tell them to God. "

A photo of Miqueli remained pinned to a bulletin board inside the church.