- Rev Douglas Haefner, pastor of St Matthias Parish in Somerset, New Jersey for 27 years, was jailed for seven years
- He took nearly US$517,000 in parish funds over several years
- He resigned in 2018 as a long-delayed audit was finally being carried out
- He had repeatedly asked to reschedule the audit
A Catholic priest who led a New Jersey parish for 27 years has been sentenced to seven years in state prison for taking nearly US$517,000 in parish funds, the Associated Press reported in a story carried by the Jamaica Observer.
Rev Douglas Haefner, 68, was pastor of St Matthias Parish in Somerset. He pleaded guilty to theft in May, blaming his actions on unspecified “compulsive behaviour”. Authorities said he stole the money over several years. He was due to begin his sentence on August 19, but had applied to the state’s Intensive Supervision Program, which allows prisoners to serve all or part of a sentence at home.
The theft came to light through an audit. Haefner resigned in November 2018 as church officials were finally carrying out an audit that had been delayed for a long time. According to the report, he had repeatedly asked to reschedule it, citing health problems and the need for more time to prepare.
The case follows a familiar pattern: a long-serving leader, trusted by the congregation, controls the money, and checks are postponed at his own request. By the time the audit took place, more than half a million dollars had gone over several years.
The key detail is the delayed audit. For any church, whether it is saving for a new roof, paying off a mortgage or collecting rent from a hall, a regular independent audit is basic protection, and it should not be postponed because the person being audited asks. Rotating who counts collections, requiring two signatures, and separating the person who handles money from the person who checks it all reduce the risk. Congregations and diaspora donors giving to building projects should expect audited accounts on a fixed schedule, and be concerned when they are late.
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