A Louisa County judge denied a motion yesterday to dismiss charges against former Catholic priest Rodney Lee Rodis. Rodis' defense attorney, John Maus, argued that Rodis, who is charged with 13 counts of embezzlement from two Louisa churches, should not be tried in a criminal court based on the Constitution's provision for separation of church and state.
But Judge Timothy K. Sanner denied Maus' motion, saying he believed Rodis, 53, could be fairly tried without violating rights guaranteed by the First Amendment.
"The Supreme Court has recognized time and again" the place for criminal proceedings, Sanner said of his decision to allow Rodis' charges to go before a Louisa jury.
Sanner's ruling came after testimony by Richmond Diocese Bishop Francis DiLorenzo, who was called by Maus to testify about the role of a Catholic priest in the administrative and financial matters of a parish.
DiLorenzo was one of the church's representatives that initially brought concerns of the Immaculate Conception and St. Jude's parishes to Virginia State Police in 2007 after parishioners suspected Rodis was taking money they had tithed to the church.
The bishop told Sanner yesterday that church procedure mandates that every time a parishioner gives to the church, the money is earmarked for a specific cause previously designated by the church's financial council.
Maus argued, though, that the money allegedly taken by Rodis could have been used to help others--and not purely for his own benefit--and therefore should be considered a church procedure matter and not something to be judged in a criminal case.
Louisa prosecutor Rusty McGuire told Sanner he felt Rodis' actions were criminal because when the parishioners gave money to the church, they felt it was going to help their own parish in a specific way.
"Never do they think the priest is padding his own pockets," McGuire said.
Rodis was convicted earlier this year in federal court of wire fraud and money laundering after he admitted to stealing money over a 13-year period from the two Louisa churches and sending it to the Philippines, his native country.
The Louisa charges focus on the theft of money from the churches, while the federal charges were based on his sending the money overseas and using it for personal gain.
Rodis was defrocked last year after the diocese learned of his criminal actions, as well as the fact that he had a wife, a violation of canon law in the Catholic church.
He is currently serving a 63-month sentence in federal prison and was also ordered to pay restitution. McGuire said after court yesterday that he will also seek restitution at the state level.
Rodis' jury trial is scheduled for Oct. 29 in Louisa County Circuit Court.
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(Source: FBC)