One year ago today, May 28, 2024, Fr. John Moineau was unjustly accused of a conspiracy by Bishop Larry Kulick, in the Queen of Angels Auditorium, in front of over 400 parishioners, friends, and family members.  After forcing his resignation earlier that day, the Bishop then removed Fr. John’s priestly faculties from him.

Within 3 weeks, the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s office concluded that there was absolutely zero evidence of any conspiracy committed by Fr. John or the Immaculate Conception or Elizabeth Ann Seton administrative staffs.

A Canonical investigation was also conducted.  From early June through early October, there was never the transparency as was promised by the Bishop when alleging his conspiracy allegations at Fr. John – promised at the Queen of Angels meeting, on Youtube, on Facebook, in the newspapers, and throughout other social media.

On September 22nd, a detailed plea document was submitted to and received by the Papal Nuncio (the US ambassador to the Pope), Cardinal Christophe Pierre, imploring him to investigate the actions of Bishop Kulick and the diocese.  This plea included a petition with over 1,600 signatories asking that Fr. John’s priestly faculties, and his dignity, be restored by the Bishop.

On October 7th, Bishop Kulick issued a letter in the Catholic Accent saying that Fr. John had “violated a Church policy” – by signing off that he had completed a review of the thousands of safe environment clearances of the two parishes’ volunteers and employees.   This clerical error was determined not to be the conspiracy that the Bishop still continues to wrongfully judge Fr. John as guilty of.  The Bishop’s dictated punishment has included that Fr. John will never, ever, again be able to celebrate mass at IC, EAS, or in our community.

Fr. John has since been courageously celebrating the Eucharist with his new family of churches in New Kensington and Lower Burrell – and at Christmas, Easter, and the funeral mass of his dear mother, Joan Moineau -- and they have seen what many of us have long known – he is a holy man.

Finally, for anyone that may find themselves “fatigued” by all of the signs asking that we pray for Fr. John… the prayers are working!  Parishioners, churches, communities across the country and outside the US have prayed incessantly for him during his battle with pancreatic cancer and his subsequent excoriation by the Bishop.  There has been no amount of the strongest chemotherapy, of radiation, or of the stress inflicted upon him, that has prevented him from doing what he lives for…celebrating the Eucharist.  

Please, let us continue to pray for the divine favor of having Father John with us.

Thanks, rgrds, chris

Chris Peta

412-916-8030