West Virginia Catholic bishop spent
$4.6M renovating mansion where he
'inappropriately touched young priests'—
fitting it with a sunken bar, a wine
cellar and a $20K dining table—before
church quietly sold it for only $1.2M *
Daily Mail (UK),
by
Megan Sheets
Original Article
Posted By: Ribicon,
12/30/2019 6:11:09 PM
A disgraced bishop spent $4.6million renovating the mansion where he allegedly made advances at young priests before the church quietly sold the property for just $1.2million. Bishop Michael J Bransfield resigned as head of the Catholic Church in West Virginia in September 2018 amid allegations of sexual and financial misconduct.(Snip) A secret report later revealed how Bransfield spent more than $2.4million in church funds on personal travel, luxury items, liquor and prescription drugs—along with $4.6million on renovations to his diocese-owned home in Wheeling, where he allegedly groomed and inappropriately touched young men during his 13-year tenure as Wheeling-Charleston Diocese bishop.
Reply 1 - Posted by:
udanja99 12/30/2019 6:23:16 PM (No. 274725)
I once lived in WV and my all time favorite priest left the Catholic Church because of this evil bishop.
13 people like this.
Reply 2 - Posted by:
Safari Man 12/30/2019 6:24:50 PM (No. 274729)
I wonder if there is a special place in Hell full of former Catholic priests? I suspect its just a little bit hotter than the rest.
13 people like this.
Reply 3 - Posted by:
zephyrgirl 12/30/2019 6:25:31 PM (No. 274732)
It must be nice to have connections - the buyer is the son of a W.Va Congressman who owns the firm that did the renovations. He had inside information on how well-appointed the house was and picked it up for about half what it was worth.
18 people like this.
Reply 4 - Posted by:
IowaMarinesDad 12/30/2019 6:36:09 PM (No. 274741)
Makes me sick. I was raised Catholic. I rarely attend anymore because I can’t get past the Sunday Morning Christians.
All my life the church has begged it’s parishioners for money. People that had little, dug deep and gave more than they could probably afford.
And this is an example of how the money was used. Shameful !!
16 people like this.
Reply 5 - Posted by:
MeiDei 12/30/2019 7:07:31 PM (No. 274759)
Some days it is just too easy to be so disappointed.
4 people like this.
Reply 6 - Posted by:
dst4life 12/30/2019 7:23:45 PM (No. 274773)
#2, One of the saints allegedly said that the floor of Hell is paved with the skulls of bishops.
6 people like this.
Reply 7 - Posted by:
beca 12/30/2019 7:36:28 PM (No. 274780)
Who is the congressman??? I live in WV and I’ve never heard any of this. .. I live in the southern tip
Of the state and wheeling is far away but this is news to me.
1 person likes this.
Reply 8 - Posted by:
beca 12/30/2019 7:41:29 PM (No. 274784)
Took me 10 seconds to find out the congressman is Alex Mooney. Never heard anything but good about him. I’m going to do more searching.
3 people like this.
Reply 9 - Posted by:
dst4life 12/30/2019 7:45:15 PM (No. 274786)
This isn't mentioned in the article, but I have heard that the diocese of Wheeling-Charleston is the recipient of a bunch of money from someone in Texas. If this is so, Bransfield was dipping into that deep chest as well.
2 people like this.
Reply 10 - Posted by:
Venturer 12/30/2019 7:55:47 PM (No. 274793)
Some Priests have left the Church, but many Catholic Parisioner's have left.
To be honest it's hard to stay.
It's a bit like the Democrats and their plot to oust Trump in this way
They know that their deportment is hurting them, but they refuse to do much to stop it.
The Church is littered with these bad priests and their superiors and they aren't doing anything to stop it, they are merely trying to hide it.
They condemn those who get caught while hiding those who haven't been outed yet.
Catholics already have so many rules that the lay people are ignoring,and then they have these Priests and higher being outed as soiled.
It's getting hard to remain.
4 people like this.
Reply 11 - Posted by:
tsquare 12/30/2019 8:01:20 PM (No. 274799)
Failure of oversight, and tolerance of aberrant behavior...results in rapid destruction of entrrprises.
3 people like this.
Reply 12 - Posted by:
lisa belanger 12/30/2019 8:11:50 PM (No. 274810)
all i can say god is watchi g and you cannot foll
the lord soon o later he will have to answer always a price
to pay with his money
6 people like this.
Reply 13 - Posted by:
janjan 12/30/2019 8:14:07 PM (No. 274815)
I am not Catholic but I feel real sorrow for the Catholics steadfast in their faith who have to endure the encroaching liberalism of the Church.
8 people like this.
Reply 14 - Posted by:
Timber Queen 12/30/2019 8:29:28 PM (No. 274827)
#10 - I don't find it hard to stay. The Catholic Church is where you find Jesus Christ's Real Presence; Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity. In every tabernacle across the world.
The Catholic Faith has survived heresies, the Borgia popes, schisms and the Reformation. We will survive these sexual scandals and a communist pope. The Catholic Church as survived 2,000 years of betrayal beginning with Judas' kiss and Peter's thrice denial because Christ promised it would be so. He promised the Church would prevail against the gates of hell, not that particular men would not fall. I will not trade the Fullness of the Faith or walk away from Jesus Christ's Church because powerful men succumbed to great sin. "He who is without sin cast the first stone." What faith, what church, what profession is without evil present in the hierarchy?
Human beings are fallible, yet supposedly sophisticated and educated people act like this is big news. Christ knew it all and still took on all the sins of the world for all time. That's why He sweated blood in the garden and still did the Father's will and was crucified. He knew which sons and daughters of the Church would betray him and He still died for them...and for us. He expects no less from those who claim to know Him. He knew it would be difficult and hard so He gave us His greatest miracle; His Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity in the Holy Eucharist.
I am not responsible for the actions and sins of an evil bishop anymore than he is responsible for the state of my soul. I am a Catholic and will always remain a faithful Catholic. No man's actions will take me away from the Table of the Lord.
AMDG - Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam (For the Greater Glory of God)
18 people like this.
Reply 15 - Posted by:
pros7767 12/30/2019 8:36:36 PM (No. 274831)
Started limiting my donations after I realized Catholic Charities were helping disperse illegals among the entire population of the US, combined with paying off victims of sexual assault.
While in NJ, the parish around me put up video screens. I felt like I was in George Orwell's "1984". Moved to SC and cannot even stand going to church. I thought it would be more conservative. Instead, I feel like I'm watching a high school play with bad actors. I attended mass my entire life with limited exceptions. I just can't any more. There is no worship. It's just a show.
I'll keep praying on my own time. God hears.
10 people like this.
Reply 16 - Posted by:
columba 12/30/2019 8:55:20 PM (No. 274838)
The media in England has an anti-Catholic stance since before Elizabeth the First.
4 people like this.
Reply 17 - Posted by:
Omen55 12/30/2019 9:14:07 PM (No. 274847)
The cat of 9 tails would be very appropriate on him.
2 people like this.
Reply 18 - Posted by:
Kate318 12/30/2019 9:56:14 PM (No. 274865)
Bravo, #15. You speak for me, and millions of Catholics like me. If anyone thinks these abominable abuses are specific to the Catholic Church, they are very much mistaken. However, barely a week goes by without someone reminding us all just how horrible is the Catholic religion. The Catholic Church is the biggest target, as is the United States when it comes to global finger-pointing. Nothing gives some more glee than to constantly take pot shots, and remind us all how much smarter they are than those stupid rubes who still believe. I have been around Catholic priests all my life, including 12 years of Catholic school, and afterward growing up in the Jesuit community. I never once experienced, knew about, or heard about any hint of sexual misconduct toward me, nor anyone I knew. Moreover, I have repeatedly asked my still-Catholic friends, and the story is the same. This is not to deny that terrible sins and crimes were committed, but those statistics are in direct proportion to every other religion, and slightly less than the population at large. Despite all her imperfections—and she has many—I will continue to love the Catholic Church at her core, and receive the sacraments through her.
6 people like this.
Reply 19 - Posted by:
Timber Queen 12/30/2019 10:39:11 PM (No. 274890)
#16 - I sense your sadness because you no longer participate in Mass and receive the Sacraments. I do understand your situation. I give the majority of my contribution to my parish and I'm very careful about the second collection. If its a lefty-run CINO organization I give that week's 2nd envelope money to the Archdiocese of Military Services, USA. Its about once every other month.
Five years ago our parish had a priest rotate in that was a lefty with only 2 years to retirement. He was a musician and a singer. (The choir loved him.) He installed his baby grand piano in front of the choir section. I was at a daily Mass and before beginning the Offertory Prayers he stepped away from the altar, sat at the piano and played/sang a hymn before returning to his priestly duties. On the way out a fellow parishioner commented sarcastically, "The floor show was interesting."
I stopped going to daily Mass. Two Sundays later I walked out on his sermon. I was a lector and Eucharistic Minister, but I stepped away from those ministries and began attending Mass in the next town...an hour's drive away. (We live in a rural area.) TK stayed at our parish and continued as acolyte. It was a difficult time, worshiping separately, but a reverential Mass was my priority. That priest retired and I returned to my parish (only a half hour away) and my altar ministries.
I share this story so that you know you are not alone in finding some priests not exactly offering a referential Mass. If you live in a sizable town there must be another parish you could attend. Most diocese today also offer the Trinitine (Latin) Mass, always well worth a little extra driving.
If Christ wanted us to only pray by ourselves, He would not have established the Sacraments, especially Holy Eucharist given in context of the Mass. Read the story about the Road to Emmaus. (Luke 24:13-35) The whole of the Mass in contained: exposition of the Scriptures, offering bread and wine, the Consecration and "knowing Him in the breaking of the Bread." Isn't encountering Christ in the Flesh worth finding a worthy priest?
6 people like this.
Reply 20 - Posted by:
thewarden 12/30/2019 10:52:27 PM (No. 274909)
Well, my childhood parish just ‘fired’ the last Irish nun (who was the principal of the parish school for a very long time) because the ‘new’ priest (um...Jesuit scum) didn’t ‘like’ her...nevermind everyone else did!). Come to find out the diocese wanted the convent house/land worth millions. Yes, totally true, Screw the Church! So disgusted. I will never go back. The Church is all about the $. Period.
1 person likes this.
Reply 21 - Posted by:
NYbob 12/31/2019 12:29:19 AM (No. 274969)
Not a Catholic, but happened to catch the local news tonight while looking for the weather and the news reader mentioned two Catholic Churches are closing in the Rochester area. Traditional religion is struggling in many areas and the damage, like government, is often self inflicted. Catching and prosecuting criminals like this should be easy and a top priority for institutions that dare to speak for God, but like so many things today, liars are everywhere.
1 person likes this.
Reply 22 - Posted by:
DVC 12/31/2019 3:26:49 PM (No. 275537)
Should die in prison.
0 people like this.
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* after he was fired
Nasty. The slob had free rein to bask in debauched luxury, all on the backs of parishioners' deposits in the collection plate. Article claims the church sold the house for cheap on the private market so the public would not catch on to what this cat was up to.