NORTHBORO (MA)
GoLocalWorcester
Friday, October 18, 2013
Paige Pihl Buckley, GoLocalWorcester Contributor
St. Bernadette Parish priest Reverend Stephen A. Gemme resigned his post amidst allegations that he embezzled $230,000 from the parish in the last four years.
In a letter published on St. Bernadette’s website, Bishop Robert J. McManus of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Worcester said Father Gemme had admitted to a gambling problem when confronted about the missing funds. He has been placed on medical leave and is being evaluated and treated at a residential addiction facility.
The casino effect
“This happens everywhere that convenience casinos are established,” said John Ribeiro, chairperson of Repeal the Casino Deal, a statewide organization fighting to include a casino repeal option on November 2014’s statewide ballot.
“The casino industry leverages some of the most sophisticated technology to understand and target people based on their financial status. The casinos this priest frequented likely knew that he was spending beyond his means,” he said. “There is no recourse for the parish to recover those funds from the casino. Any other business that had received stolen money would have to return it. The casinos enjoy a protected status above other businesses.”
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