BRONSON, MI (WTVB) – A Grand Rapids TV station is reporting that over $213,000 had been taken from the accounts of two local churches by a longtime priest who resigned a few weeks ago following an investigation into questionable accounting practices since 2010.
WOOD-TV reported on police findings through the Freedom of Information Act into the investigation of Reverend Richard Fritz.
An attorney for the Catholic Diocese of Kalamazoo told the Michigan State Police the money was taken from accounts for St. Mary’s Assumption Parish in Bronson and the St. Barbara Mission in Colon.
The investigation into possible embezzlement started last spring.
The Diocese attorney says the 69-year-old Fritz admitted to writing himself checks but said the checks were for reimbursement.
The Diocese informed the two parish communities during masses on October 8th and 9th that they had accepted Fritz’s resignation as pastor and he had been temporarily suspended from his ability to exercise public ministry.
His access to parish funds was removed in June. Fritz was ordained in 1975.
