Jul 15, 2009 1:31 pm US/Eastern
Philadelphia Priest Impostor Formally Charged
PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ―
-
-
Paul Schlear admitted to posing as a priest to offer support for the family of an injured Philadelphia Police officer.
CBS
A Northeast Philadelphia man who admitted to impersonating a Catholic
priest has been criminally charged. Paul Schlear is facing charges of
criminal trespassing and false impersonation.
In a stunning admission given exclusively to CBS 3, Schlear said he posed as a priest, allowing him to visit an injured police officer in the hospital and even attending funerals for fallen Philadelphia Police officers.
When Officer Richard Hayes was critically injured by an alleged drunk driver, his family was grateful to meet a priest at the hospital who stayed by their side through agonizing hours in the intensive care unit.
But a police investigation revealed the priest was, in fact, an impostor.
"Did you call yourself Father Paul," asked CBS 3 Investigative Reporter Walt Hunter.
"I said I was a Catholic priest," Paul Shlear said.
Wearing a Roman collar and priest's clerical garb, Shlear told Hunter he was soon on a first name basis and trusted by the family. At one point, he told family members he was talking to Cardinal Rigali on his cell phone.
"I said to them I had received a call from the Cardinal and that he was just checking on them," Shlear said.
Shlear, who says he once briefly tried entering the seminary, was exposed as an imposter by a police officer who thought he looked too young and did a background check.
"I feel terrible for the Hayes family because they're going through enough and I didn't nee to do what I did," he said.
But Shlear admitted the incident was not first time he impersonated a religious figure.
At the funeral for Philadelphia Police Sergeant Pat McDonald, video shows Shlear joining the funeral procession at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul while wearing a white robe called an 'alb.'
He also took part in the procession at the Basilica during the funeral mass for Officer John Pawlowski last February, even getting close to Cardinal Justin Rigali.
"At one point the Cardinal shook my hand, no questions," Schlear said.
The admission proved to be disturbing to the Philadelphia Archdiocese.
"Very distressing to think that an individual who is not a priest would present himself as such," said Father Brian Hennessy, an assistant vicar in the Philadelphia Archdiocese.
Philadelphia store owner Lazar Jackson claims Schlear asked for a loan while posing as a priest three years ago. Jackson said he gave him $5,000, but never received a penny back. The allegations remain under investigation.
The Archdiocese of Philadelphia released this statement regarding the imposter:
"The Archdiocese is extremely grateful to the Philadelphia Police Department for its diligence in investigating the deeply disturbing matter of Mr. Paul Schlear posing as a priest. This is particularly disturbing because it occurred in the context of the recent deaths of some of our police officers and most recently at the hospital bedside of Officer Richard Hayes.
"Our prayers and concern go out for Officer Hayes and his family at this time. It is tragic to think that someone would present himself as a member of the clergy, violating the sacred trust that a family places in a priest at a time of crisis.
"We now know that at two funerals of fallen police officers in the Cathedral Basilica, Mr. Schlear presented himself as associated with a religious community, but not as a priest. According to Rev. Dennis Gill, director of the Office for Worship, Mr. Schlear asked if he could be an altar server or assist in distributing Holy Communion. His request was denied. His participation was limited to walking in procession in the place designated for lay persons.
"The Archdiocese, which has fostered a close prayerful relationship with the men and women of the Philadelphia police force and their families, is pained by the duplicity of anyone who would betray the Church and cause such hurt to God's people in such a vulnerable position."
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Hottest Celebrity Redheads
Click to enlarge
Winter Weather To Wallop Region Again 18 mins ago 
Stumble It!
Reporting
Comments