Bishop accused of financial, sexual misconduct banned
The Vatican on Friday announced sanctions against retired West Virginia bishop Michael Bransfield but stopped short of defrocking him, after investigating accusations of sexual harassment and financial misconduct.
The sanctions, ordered by Pope Francis and detailed in a letter posted to the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston’s website, prohibit Bransfield from public ministry and from residing in his former West Virginia diocese.
Bransfield also has “the obligation to make personal amends for some of the harm he caused,” the nature of which will be decided by the new bishop.
Bransfield stepped down in September when an aide came forward with an inside account detailing years of alleged sexual and financial misconduct, including a claim that Bransfield sought to “purchase influence” by giving hundreds of thousands of dollars to senior Catholic leaders.
News of the allegations rocked parishioners in Wheeling-Charleston diocese, which Bransfield had led since 2005, and left other Catholics in the state feeling betrayed.
The Friday statement, under the letterhead of the Apostolic Nunciature United States of America, said the sanctions were determined based on the findings of the investigation of “allegations of sexual harassment of adults and of financial improprieties by Bishop Bransfield.”
The Washington Post previously reported that senior Catholic leaders in the United States and the Vatican had received warnings about Bransfield as early as 2012. In letters and emails, parishioners claimed that Bransfield was abusing his power and misspending church money on luxuries such as a personal chef, a chauffeur, firstclass travel abroad and more than $1 million in renovations to his residence.
Church records showed Bransfield spent more than $2.4 million of church money on travel, including chartered jets and luxury hotels. Documents also revealed Bransfield spent $182,000 on daily fresh flower deliveries and doled out $350,000 of cash gifts to powerful cardinals, in addition to young priests who had accused him of sexual harassment.