Pastor removed after $630K in irregular cheques found at Kingston parish

Police are probing the theft of over $630,000 from St. John Parish in Kingston, Ontario. Father David Collins has been removed from ministry pending the investigation.

Over $630K allegedly taken from Kingston, Ontario parish through irregular cheques

Police in Ontario are investigating the apparent theft of more than $630,000 from St. John Parish in the Archdiocese of Kingston, globalnews.ca reports. Father David Collins, O.F.M. Conv., who has served as pastor at the parish since at least 2017, has been removed from ministry while the investigation proceeds.

On June 13, the archdiocese announced that a financial issue had come to light regarding Fr. David's use of the parish's accounts. Archbishop Michael Mulhall of Kingston confirmed that an investigation had been launched into "significant financial irregularities" discovered in those accounts.

Following questioning, Fr. David returned to his Franciscan community in Toronto. A second priest, Fr. Tim Shea, has been providing sacraments at the parish until a new pastor is appointed this fall.

A letter dated July 10, sent by the archbishop to local members of the Franciscan community and obtained by The Pillar, provided further detail. "A review of all parish accounts extending back to 2019 has determined that over $630,000.00 has been taken from the parish accounts through the issuing of irregular cheques," the letter stated.

The correspondence noted that 1,196 irregular cheques had been issued in total — the vast majority drawn from the general account, with three from the Mass account. "At this time, it is unclear where all of the funds were distributed. The police are now investigating," the letter added.

The Archdiocese of Kingston did not respond to The Pillar's request for comment.

Robert Warren, an assistant professor of accounting at Radford University, a retired IRS investigator, and an expert in financial fraud in ecclesiastical settings, told The Pillar the case appeared to reflect insufficient financial controls at the parish level. Warren has in recent years advocated for internal controls to prevent such fraud, including requiring multiple people to be involved in financial transactions and record-keeping to reduce the risk of embezzlement.

Cases of parish-level financial crime are not isolated to Canada. Parishes in Florida, Missouri, New York, Alabama, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Iowa have also been affected by similar crimes in recent years.

Source: Google News JM — Kingston