CLEVELAND (OH)
WEWS-TV, ABC - 5 (News5Cleveland.com)[Cleveland OH]
May 22, 2024
By Jonathan Walsh
There’s a major development after a News 5 Exclusive Investigation revealed a convicted sex offender was allowed to help lead Catholic masses at a local church.
There’s a major development after a News 5 Exclusive Investigation revealed a convicted sex offender was allowed to help lead Catholic masses at a local church. The bishop of the diocese has now asked for the pastor of that church to resign.
The Catholic Diocese of Cleveland confirms it sent a letter today to parishioners of St. Thomas More Church and the parents of children who go to St. Thomas More School asking that Father Mike Feldtz resign as pastor and that he is now on a leave of absence to focus on health problems.
The letter comes on the heels of our investigation showing how convicted sex offender Keith Kozak was permitted by Father Feldtz to be on the altar assisting with services for months.
[EXCLUSIVE: Sex offender allowed to help lead CLE Catholic church masses; News 5 Investigation leads to change]
Cops arrested Kozak back in 2020 during an undercover sex sting. He served nearly a year in prison and has to register as a sex offender for 25 years.
[RELATED: 27 men from Northeast Ohio arrested in undercover online child predator operation
During our investigation, we knocked on the door of his home. He answered some of our questions, like had he worked with children during his volunteer position.
“No, no, not at all,” he replied while standing in his doorway at the time. “I played for one school mass but I was at the piano, and I didn’t even go over to where the kids are,” Kozak added.
Shortly after NEWS 5 Investigators started asking questions about Kozak, Bishop Edward Malesic told us Kozak was removed from his volunteer position and won’t be allowed to volunteer again in the diocese.
Kozak has told us Father Feldtz knew all about his criminal background.
“I sat down with him and we had a nice long talk, plus I filed paperwork with the diocese,” said Kozak.
In today’s letter, the diocese said the Bishop asked for Father Feldtz’s resignation “for the good of the parish, himself, and the Church.” (Read the full statement further below.)
Like with our initial investigation, we asked for a sit-down interview with Bishop Malesic and once again, we were told he was not available.
We were able to get brief reactions from advocates who help child sex abuse victims. Anne Barrett Doyle is the co-director of BishopAccountability.org. She told us, “Bishop Malesic should have fired Father Feldtz. Father Feldtz knowingly allowed a convicted sex offender to occupy a prominent post.”
We are diving deeper into this developing story and will have more for you in a future report.
Complete statement from the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland:
“Fr. Michael Feldtz met with Bishop Malesic this week to discuss his health and other matters related to St. Thomas More Parish. As a result of that meeting, Fr. Feldtz was granted permission to take an Authorized Leave of Absence – Sick Leave, effective May 21. An authorized Leave of Absence – Sick Leave is defined as time off from official assignment with permission from the bishop, which allows a priest to focus on health issues without the responsibility of managing and pastoring a parish.
The bishop will appoint an Administrator to oversee the pastoral and sacramental life of the parish and the temporal duties necessary to oversee the day-to-day operation of the parish. In addition, the bishop asked Fr. Feldtz for his resignation from the Office of Pastor for the good of the parish, himself, and the Church.
This information was communicated to parishioners and to parents with students in St. Thomas More Catholic School this morning, May 22.”