PENNSYLVANIA
Roman Catholic Diocese of Greensburg
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — March 11, 2014
CONTACT: Jerry Zufelt, Office for Communications, 724-834-4010, Ext. 1445
GREENSBURG — After a series of investigations that began more than three years ago, Father Emil S. Payer, pastor of Seven Dolors Parish, Yukon, in the Diocese of Greensburg has been charged with theft.
Father Payer was arraigned March 11 before District Magistrate Charles D. Moore in Scottdale and charged with theft by deception, theft by unlawful taking, theft by receiving stolen property and theft by misappropriation of entrusted property.
Father Payer, who has been on administrative leave from the parish since Aug. 11, 2011, was released on a non-monetary bond.
The charges stem from an investigation that began when parishioners of Seven Dolors Parish approached officials of the Diocese of Greensburg in early 2011 with concerns about parish finances. As a result of that meeting, the diocese immediately began a review of parish finances with an independent auditing firm. Subsequently, diocesan officials held a meeting on April 6, 2011, with the Parish Pastoral Council and Parish Finance Council of Seven Dolors Parish and informed council members of the review.
At that point, all parish financial activity was placed under the responsibility of Father Kenneth G. Zaccagnini, pastor of St. Barbara Parish, Harrison City, and dean of Deanery 3, while Father Payer continued to handle pastoral duties.
The diocese had the independent auditing firm conduct a comprehensive financial review of parish finances. The review examined every expenditure in two parish accounts, one of which was an unauthorized account established several years earlier contrary to diocesan financial policies and therefore beyond any diocesan reviews. A third account was reviewed for specific activity. The review examined transactions as far back as fiscal year 2005-06 in the unauthorized account and as far back as fiscal year 2008-09 in the other two accounts.
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