Gozo priest removed as pastor in Canada over 'inappropriate conduct'

Times of Malta
September 21, 2020

https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/gozo-priest-removed-as-pastor-in-canada-over-inappropriate-conduct.819472

Fr Joseph Grima was removed from his parish in Canada over 'inappropriate behaviour'.

A Gozitan priest has been removed from his parish in Canada over "inappropriate behaviour", the Archdiocese of Toronto has confirmed. 

Fr Joseph Grima, of Blessed Frederic Ozanam Parish in Markham, was found to have been involved in "boundary violation and behaviour inconsistent with the vows of a Catholic priest". 

No details have been divulged about his situation but the Toronto Archdiocese said he had not done anything illegal. 

The decision was announced on August 22 but was only reported several weeks later. 

A spokesman of the archdiocese was reported by the Canadian news portal Yorkregion.com as saying that the case did not involve child abuse. He pointed out that incidencts of alcohol abuse, drugs, gambling, mental health issues or a relationship with somebody could result in the removal of a priest.

The spokesman said Fr Grima was in a place of “prayer and support”.

The priest, who was ordained 20 years ago, was a familiar face for many of his parishioners as he used to broadcast mass on a YouTube channel belonging to the National Catholic Broadcasting Council from Loretto Abbey in Toronto.

In 2011, Fr Grima had made headlines when at the height of the divorce referendum campaign he had been a victim of identity theft, after somebody created a fake Facebook account with his name to promote divorce. At the time Fr Grima was not even in Malta.

The case had been taken very seriously by the Gozo Curia which had referred the matter to the police.