Father Saka Gambling Case Study
A Catholic priest from Ontario, Canada has reportedly confessed to losing US$380,000 (CA$500,000) meant for refugee sponsorship to gambling.
Police are investigating Father Amer Saka of the St. Joseph Chaldean Catholic Church in London, Ontario after he told his bishop Emanuel Shaleta that he had gambled more than US$380,000 (CA$500,000). The said fund was originally intended for refugee sponsorship, according to The Toronto Star.
On Feb. 23, the Catholic priest reportedly called Shaleta and said he lost the money to gambling. Although they suspect that Father Saka is hooked to this vice, they still cannot confirm if what he said is true.
“He called me on the phone and . . . said he lost all the money. I said, ‘How?’ He said, ‘Gambling,’” Shaleta told The Star over the weekend. “We believe that Father Saka has a serious gambling problem and that these funds may have been used for that purpose. Since there is an investigation going on, we cannot confirm what he’s saying.” …show more content…
After learning that the money was missing, Shaleta immediately suspended Father Saka.
The following day, he checked the priest into a non-profit facility called Southdown Institute for voluntary treatment for his addiction, the report details.
On Feb. 24, London police received a complaint regarding alleged financial misappropriation at Chaldean church. So far, no charges have been filed and the allegations against Father Saka have not yet been proven in court, Religion News reports.
Monsignor Murray Kroetsch, chancellor of the diocese that manages the refugee program, said Saka headed the group in charge of raising funds to sponsor Iraqi refugees. Sponsorship costs around US$6,000 per refugee. Kroetsch said only 10 out of the 20 applications filed have arrived in Ontario, and the diocese has to fill in for the financial cost for the rest of the incoming refugees.
Shaleta said Catholic priests should not gamble because it is against the
rules.
Police are investigating Father Amer Saka of the St. Joseph Chaldean Catholic Church in London, Ontario after he told his bishop Emanuel Shaleta that he had gambled more than US$380,000 (CA$500,000). The said fund was originally intended for refugee sponsorship, according to The Toronto Star.
On Feb. 23, the Catholic priest reportedly called Shaleta and said he lost the money to gambling. Although they suspect that Father Saka is hooked to this vice, they still cannot confirm if what he said is true.
“He called me on the phone and . . . said he lost all the money. I said, ‘How?’ He said, ‘Gambling,’” Shaleta told The Star over the weekend. “We believe that Father Saka has a serious gambling problem and that these funds may have been used for that purpose. Since there is an investigation going on, we cannot confirm what he’s saying.” …show more content…
After learning that the money was missing, Shaleta immediately suspended Father Saka.
The following day, he checked the priest into a non-profit facility called Southdown Institute for voluntary treatment for his addiction, the report details.
On Feb. 24, London police received a complaint regarding alleged financial misappropriation at Chaldean church. So far, no charges have been filed and the allegations against Father Saka have not yet been proven in court, Religion News reports.
Monsignor Murray Kroetsch, chancellor of the diocese that manages the refugee program, said Saka headed the group in charge of raising funds to sponsor Iraqi refugees. Sponsorship costs around US$6,000 per refugee. Kroetsch said only 10 out of the 20 applications filed have arrived in Ontario, and the diocese has to fill in for the financial cost for the rest of the incoming refugees.
Shaleta said Catholic priests should not gamble because it is against the
rules.