A Letter from Bishop Checchio on the Plea of Rev. Douglas J. Haefner

My dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

It is hard to believe that the Easter season is nearly at a close. As we draw near to Pentecost, a time of renewal for our Church, I find myself eagerly awaiting that renewal – how it is needed in our day.

This has been a challenging year, in what seems to be a series of them, but the Holy Spirit’s coming on Pentecost is a reminder to us that even though at times it would seem easier to hide in the Upper Room as the Apostles did for a time, fortified by the Holy Spirit, we are called as Jesus’ disciples to journey through our lives with holiness and boldness.

As we prepare to usher in renewal, it seems almost providential that I have some sad news to share with you, which will hopefully help our diocese to close a chapter and begin anew. As you might remember, it has now been over two years since Fr. Doug Haefner, the former pastor of St. Matthias Parish in Somerset, first came to me with his admission of diverting parish funds for his own personal use, which he had hoped to repay. At the same time, he disclosed to me that he was struggling with other personal problems.

The diocese immediately informed the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office and Fr. Haefner resigned as pastor and went for an evaluation and much needed help. Though I had hoped to have a legal and financial resolution to this matter some time ago, and even though we had completed our own audit, the pandemic seemed to have slowed down the process of the forensic audit. Nevertheless, I realize that two years is a long time to wait for answers. Understandably, the matter weighed heavily on the parish and our entire diocesan community, as it did me.

Upon the long-awaited conclusion of the Somerset County Prosecutor’s investigation and forensic audit, I write to share with you that Fr. Haefner pleaded guilty today to one count of second-degree theft. The audit concluded that, in total, $516,984.56 in parish funds was involved. Gratefully, both the audit by the diocese and the forensic audit by the Prosecutor’s Office independently determined that no funds from the school were ever misappropriated. The diocese and parish cooperated fully with the investigation and now that the investigation has concluded, the diocese and parish can continue to work with insurance adjusters to assess restitution.

This is a sad situation for all involved, one that I wish would never have come to pass, but one that can make us even stronger. It is only through dealing with our challenges in a forthright and honest way, that we give God good space to continue to form us as He desires. Yes, in His infinite wisdom, God has a plan to assist us at such times, even if we may never see the fruit it bears.

In this case, I am happy to say that we have, indeed, seen His plan unfolding before us, as changes were already beginning and have now been made in our diocese to further strengthen our financial practices. I had already requested that the diocese move to a more regular auditing cycle of our parishes by an independent auditor, even before Fr. Haefner came to me to disclose

his mishandling of funds. The diocese also requires greater involvement by the laity in parish spending reviews and the submission of additional annual reports to the diocese. Since that time, we have also added a new Parish Financial Services Office to assist the 90 parishes in the diocese with their financial practices and compliance.

Furthermore, to try to ensure that what happened in this parish can never be repeated elsewhere in our diocese, I directed the implementation of an independent, anonymous reporting mechanism for concerns by laity, staff, clergy or others surrounding parish finances. In addition, Fr. Haefner has received help for his personal challenges and tells me that he has benefitted from this, too.

Making the financial changes requires the expertise and time of many people and is certainly no easy task, but one that is necessary in order that we can continue to fulfill our mission and restore His greater glory here on earth.

While this matter was certainly an exception to the financial safeguards in our parishes, the strengthening of our practices is meant to ensure that you, the people of our diocese, can have confidence in our systems, to know that your generous gifts will be used only for their intended purposes. I am very aware of the sacrifices that you make in order to make Christ known and loved throughout our local Church and world, especially in these times of financial uncertainty. I can assure you that I never take your sacrifices and generosity for granted.

I am thankful a conclusion has been reached, but I also remember, too, the many people who over the years expressed to me their compassion for Fr. Haefner, who served as the pastor of St. Matthias Parish for so many years. I ask you to please remember him and the people of the parish in your prayers. Please know of my love and prayers for you and your families. I rely on your prayers, so I ask that, in your charity, you please pray for me, too.

As we journey toward Pentecost and receive the graces of renewal, we pray that we may continue to experience the gifts of the Holy Spirit, persevering with fortitude and seeking His counsel, so that we may build a stronger future and a brighter tomorrow.

With renewed best wishes, I remain

Yours in Christ,

Most Reverend James F. Checchio, JCD, MBA
Bishop of Metuchen