By Calvin Palmer
A second Florida priest was sentenced to four years in prison today for stealing money from his congregation.
Father Francis Guinan, 66, had been charged with stealing $488,000 from St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church in Delray Beach, but jurors found him guilty on the lesser charge of stealing less than $100,000.
Circuit Judge Krista Marx called Guinan’s actions of skimming the offertory plates “unmitigated greed and unmitigated gall”.
“Your legacy will always be one of thievery and deceit,” Marx said.
The true victims were those who sat in the pews of St. Vincent Ferrer and gave money week after week, she said.
“I believe the victims are much more far reaching. Because of your corruption the charitable hearts of many have been stifled.
Guinan followed Father John Skehan, who led the church for 40 years.
Yesterday, Circuit Judge Jeffrey Colbath sentenced Skehan to 14 months prison, followed by seven years probation.
Skehan, 81, pleaded guilty to stealing more than $370,000. He also forfeits a $366,000 condo, about $381,500 worth of rare coins and $40,000 cash.
Retired Delray Beach detective Thomas Whatley called the men “professional money launderers” and estimated when he charged them that more than $8 million had been misappropriated over decades at the parish.
The money was not properly reported to the Diocese of Palm Beach. Although some went to supporting the priests in a lavish lifestyle, some was kept within the congregation to cover expenses without going through the Diocese’s funding requests.
[Based on reports by The Palm Beach Post and Associated Press.]
