On February 9, 2024, a Clinton County jury convicted Fr. David Rosenberg on eight felonies for embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from legally vulnerable retired priests.
The Church responded by writing on their website on February 10, 2024,
Upon the conclusion of these criminal proceedings, our prayers are naturally with those most affected by Father Rosenberg’s actions, especially the close friends and family of his three victims, each of whom has since died, may they rest in peace.
In an article I wrote about FDR called, Deeply Disturbing written in September 2023, I wrote:
We are all at minimum morally obligated never to harm anyone and to stand up and protect and speak up when circumstances demand it. I did that.
I am referring to letters I sent to Church authorities about FDR in May and July of 2020.
My letters had nothing to do with the three priests who were targeted since I had no knowledge of the relationships FDR had cultivated with them.
I knew the three priests personally but it had been at least thirteen years since our paths had crossed. Fr. Ben use to come to Mass in Jackson. We would often talk after Mass.
It saddens me their tunics were taken.
I rejoice knowing Jesus’ tunic was also taken from him.
I had no knowledge FDR was possibly stealing from retired priests until I read about the indictments on a Catholic “news” site in the summer of 2023, three years after my letters went out.
While the subject of my concern was not a legally vulnerable person, I considered them vulnerable in other non-legal ways, for example, psychologically and emotionally.
People like this can easily fall victim to a strong leader because of their perceived power and status in the community.
Let me be clear.
Adults have the legal right to follow and support a strong leader of their choosing and on their own free accord.
Nor is it illegal for a strong leader to recruit them or persuade them in certain ways since they are not considered legally vulnerable.
If that person freely consents in giving the strong leader their money, they have every legal right to do so.
We have seen this many times in more extreme and violent forms, when adults not considered legally vulnerable follow a strong leader and hand everything they have to them, even their lives, as in the followers of Jim Jones and David Koresh.
They are not “legally vulnerable,” but vulnerable nevertheless.
When an allegation from a direct source came to my attention that a priest acting as one toward a potential seminarian might be trying to influence them in a certain specific way that involved his considerable estate, I grew alarmed and sent the letters out.
This was obviously not a cult context but a situation nevertheless that involved a non-legal vulnerable person possibly being persuaded to hand over his estate by a priest.
This may be legal if true but it could also be immoral and in the least a serious ethical violation. At the time I became aware of it red flags immediately went up.
I never received any response to my May and July 2020 letters. Letters I sent USPS and emailed as well.
It wasn’t until three years later in September of 2023 that I received the first and only acknowledgement that the May letter was received, with an official writing:
I reviewed my files and I can confirm that I did receive your 2020 letter to Name that you cc’d me on. I don’t typically respond to cc’s since the correspondence is not directed to me.
As you know, replying to me is one matter, following up with those responsible is another matter.
I have no idea whether the letters were discussed and looked into when they were written, and whether FDR was questioned.
If so, was he honest? He did after all plead not guilty to the charges of stealing later on.
The first letter I sent out on May 5, 2020 was four weeks after Fr. Aubin was placed on hospice care on April 9, 2020. The July 15th letter was a mere three months after Fr. Aubin died.
On April 13: per The Pillar: FDR
….deposited into that account the $178,022 check which Aubin allegedly signed. Two days later, on April 15, 2020, Aubin died.
Perhaps they did begin a preliminary investigation after the July 2020 letter was received, perhaps they did look into it, did question FDR, did ask about the foundation, did due diligence that FDR was not involving himself in anyone else’s estate.
Perhaps they did not.
I have no way of knowing since no communication from them to me was ever received.
Perhaps a low key investigation prompted by my letters could have, if conducted, led to positive outcomes.
If any crimes were committed by FDR after May/July of 2020, maybe an investigation could have prevented it.
Since I believe FDR acted alone, his Superiors even if they questioned him were likely kept in the dark.
Also, at least two of the priests were targeted by FDR before I wrote the letters.
I do conclude, however, that the letters I wrote are not ones to ignore.
While I had no right to any information regarding an internal matter, recognition that the letter was received would have been prudent.
Most likely it would have starved off this article.
Prudent because one of the letters involved serious allegations of financial grooming on the part of a priest toward a non-legal vulnerable adult and member of the Church considering applying to a seminary.
A refusal to reply to a letter by some Catholic complaining about the cantor at Mass not able to sing is reasonable.
Refusing to reply to a letter about a priest perhaps wanting to get his hands on the estate of a non-legal vulnerable person who was ready to go along is not.
I hope and trust this was looked into at the deeper levels at the time I wrote the letters.
If not, this would be unfortunate. The failure to acknowledge my letters a footnote.
No one except FDR is responsible for these crimes.
He authored them alone.
He carried them out alone.
And he alone will pay the penalty.
I pray for all those impacted by these choices. I pray for the families who remain. I pray for a wounded local Church. I pray for FDR.
It remains a heavy weight many carry to varying degree’s that only the Lord can alleviate and heal.
Post Script: Clarification. The May 5, 2020 letter alluded to allegations of “recruitment efforts” on the part of FDR toward a potential seminarian. In that letter I also wrote: “I have been watching this relationship between him and the DOL play out from a distance from the beginning and I find it unsettling for many reasons. The interest your men have shown in him is perplexing. I am not the only one who is concerned about this.”
That letter did not detail further specifics regarding the potential transfer of wealth. It was the July 15, 2020 letter that was more specific, with me writing: “is it true that a priest with a charitable foundation is attempting to get N. to transfer his wealth to his foundation during this time that N. is discerning his “calling.” If true it would be wrong for many reasons and it could be a form of abuse, taking advantage of a “wounded” soul for the so called benefit of others. Someone needs to look into this to confirm it is not happening if it is not happening and to stop it if it is happening.”
I was intentionally vague in the May 5 letter yet I hoped at the time that they would follow up with me with questions at which point I would have told them, but I was never contacted.
Edited March 6, 2024