Parishioners Intervene In Bishop’s Lawsuit Against Father Rodriguez

Five members of the Rev. Michael Rodriguez’s former congregation are firing back against the man who transferred him, Bishop Armando Ochoa, by intervening in his lawsuit against Rodriguez.

The intervention is the latest in what has been quite a back and forth between Rodriguez’s congregation and Ochoa, who is transferring to Fresno, Calif., all stemming from Ochoa’s removal of Rodriguez after he made his feelings known on the city of El Paso’s domestic partner benefits debate at the church.

According to the documents, Ochoa and Monsignor Arturo Banuelas demanded and received more than $238,000 from Father Rodriguez, and his brother David, back in September as part of a suit against him for misuse of church funds. But now five members of Rodriguez’s former congregation have filed an intervention asking for a total of more than $46,000 dollars of that money to be returned to them.

They say they donated that money to Rodriguez with the intention of making changes to the San Juan Batista Church sanctuary so they could celebrate the holy sacrifice of the mass in accordance with the ancient Roman rite — that’s when the priest celebrates with his back toward people.

According to the documents, the five parishioners say they made restricted pledges to support the endeavor based on three things: First, the donations were to be for the singular purpose of the purchase and installation of the specified altar and sanctuary. Secondly, that the funds were not to be used for any renovation purpose. And third, the funds were not to be placed under the control of the Roman Catholic diocese.

ABC-7 spoke with one of those parishioners, Marie Herget, who along with her husband, James, made nearly $39,000 in donations to the church for the altar and sanctuary.

“Since Father Michael left we have not been able to get a clear answer, in fact no answer from the diocese at all, as to what was going to be done with our donations,” Herget said Monday. “We became concerned enough to make phone calls and write letters, all of which were ignored.”

Herget told ABC-7 there were more donations than just the $46,000 and more parishioners of San Juan Batista Church are expected to file interventions in this case.

In the lawsuit that Bishop Ochoa filed against Rodriguez, he clearly states that all money collected for physical changes to churches has to be approved by the diocese.

ABC-7 tried contacting the lawyers from both sides of the case. Doris Sipes, who represents the intervenors, had no comment. Frank Ainsa, who represents the diocese, has yet to return calls.