“Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
My name is Bishop John McIntyre and I serve as the Regional Bishop for Chester County as part of my pastoral and administrative responsibilities.
As we gather today for the sacrifice of the Holy Mass, I have been asked to share an announcement regarding your pastor, Father Michael Fitzpatrick.
Recently, concerns regarding some of his behaviors were reported directly to the Archdiocese. It is important to note that those concerns did not involve allegations of inappropriate conduct with minors, financial impropriety, or any criminal activity. Following a thorough investigation, it was determined that Father Fitzpatrick had violated The Standards of Ministerial Behavior and Boundaries.
Based on that finding, Archbishop Pérez placed Father Fitzpatrick on administrative leave. He is no longer residing at the parish rectory and has been directed to refrain from exercising his priestly ministry publicly. I understand this news may come as surprising and unsettling, especially given Father Fitzpatrick’s many years of service and commitment to you as demonstrated by his contributions to your parish, the regional school, and the
community.
At the same time, I ask for your understanding that there are a multitude of reasons why a priest might be removed from ministry. As such, I will not be discussing the specific nature and circumstances that led to this decision. I hope that all of you will exercise charity when discussing this matter with one another.
Father Fitzpatrick assures you of his continued prayers. I ask that you join me in praying for him. In order to provide for the pastoral and temporal care of Saint Peter Parish, the Archbishop has assigned Father William Chiriaco to serve as your Parochial Administrator Pro-Tem. Father Chiriaco is a School Minister at Bishop Shanahan High School and will continue to serve in that capacity. Father Eder Estrada, Pastor of Saint Joseph Parish in Coatesville, and other priests from the Archdiocese will also assist in caring for your pastoral and sacramental needs. We are deeply grateful for their willingness to serve you during this time.
The current Mass schedule will remain in place as we work through this process. All of this information is also being shared with school and PREP families. Thank you and God bless you.”