By Communications Department - Archdiocese of Miami
Archbishop Thomas Wenski issued this statement Aug. 19, 2018 to the faithful of St. Joachim in regards to Father Cristóbal de Paula.
Dear parishioners of St. Joachim,
For the past three months, your pastor, Fr. Cristóbal de Paula, has been on administrative leave while an investigation was made into an allegation of a serious boundary violation with an adult woman. In October of 2016, Father had also been on administrative leave because of the same allegation. At that time, civil authorities were notified but did not pursue any action; after the civil authorities ended their investigation and without any further information from the accuser that would enable any further action on our part, Father Cristobal, who has always denied the substance of the allegation, was returned to ministry at the parish.
In May of this year, the accuser contacted the Archdiocese again and the investigation was reopened. As called for by our policy, Father was placed on administrative leave again. Interviews with the alleged victim, several of her family members, Father Cristobal himself were undertaken by the Archdiocese.
The testimony of the victim was determined to be credible. While Father Cristobal continues to deny the substance of the allegations, at a meeting with me on August 16, Father agreed to resign as pastor of St. Joachim. Currently, Father has no Archdiocesan assignment and no faculties to exercise priestly ministry here or anyplace else. A canonical trial will be initiated that might result in his being permanently barred from ministry.
As part of our investigation, we also examined the finances of the parish. Some financial irregularities were discovered due to Father’s apparent disregard for Archdiocesan policies on the proper handling of parish funds. The irregular practices have been corrected by Fr. Adonis Gonzalez Betancourt, who has been acting pastor during the absence of Fr. De Paula. This investigation is ongoing and, if any funds were diverted by Fr. De Paula for his personal use, the Archdiocese will seek restitution for the parish and notify the State Attorney’s office for any possible civil action.
I have appointed as Parish Administrator Father Adonis Gonzalez Betancourt. He served you well during the past several weeks and I trust that he will continue to serve you well.
Any type of misbehavior by a priest or anyone else in authority is deeply disturbing but such failures are a reminder of our common humanity and the frailty of our human condition. Let us pray for our priests; let us pray for each other: Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us, sinners, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
+Archbishop Thomas Wenski
