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KINGSTON — A Catholic pastor who allegedly misused $130,000 was described as a “great priest and a great person” by a woman who knew him.
Last weekend, Diocese of Scranton officials announced the resignation of the Rev. John J. Chmil from the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola, 339 N. Maple Ave., Kingston.
The resignation is tied to Chmil’s alleged admission during a routine financial review that he misused funds from a charitable account.
Anne Styczen, of Kingston, wasn’t a parishioner of Chmil’s but knew him during his tenure in Wellsboro, Tioga County. It’s been at least 10 years since she first met him.
“I was rather surprised,” Styczen said.
Chmil, a native of Ashley, allegedly misused $130,000 from the parish’s St. Vincent de Paul account, over which the pastor has discretion.
“I definitely don’t feel like he would have done something like that,” Styczen said. Though a parishioner of a different local church, Styczen said she would stop at St. Ignatius on occasion and see Chmil after Mass.
“I feel very sorry for him because he’s really a good guy and he did not do anything for himself,” parishioner Mike Stretanski told Fox 56, the Times Leader’s news-gathering partner.
In a statement from William Genello, executive director of communications for the diocese, while Chmil had the authority to dispense money from the fund, the amount involved exceeded what he was authorized to dispense without approval from the diocese and the parish finance council.
After the resignation was first announced shortly before the closing of the 4 p.m. Mass on Saturday, the Rev. Andrew Kurovsky, senior priest at St. Ignatius, asked parishioners to pray for Chmil.
“This is a very, very difficult time,” he admitted. “If there is anything you want to talk about … you are not alone.”
Bishop Joseph C. Bambera said in a statement that law enforcement is now involved in the case.
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