The Rev. James McGonegal was arrested Friday after he approached a
park ranger for sex at Edgewater Park, according to park officials. The pending charge against the pastor of St. Ignatius of Antioch Church is a felony, since he told rangers later that he is HIV-positive, officials said.
McGonegal, 68, has been pastor at the Catholic church at Lorain Avenue and West Boulevard since into the 1980s, according to records of the Cleveland Catholic Diocese.
He has been a priest since 1971.Monica Banks Hines, a Cleveland Metroparks spokeswoman, said the ranger was off-duty and in civilian clothes.
The Metroparks recently took over operations at Edgewater Park from the state.
Hines said McMonegal was being held overnight in Cleveland City Jail.
A news release from the Cleveland Catholic Diocese said the diocese has a policy of cooperating with civil authorities.
The statement did not address McGonegal.