{"id":302,"date":"2007-11-23T13:27:54","date_gmt":"2007-11-23T13:27:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/viamedia\/2007\/11\/back-in-business.html"},"modified":"2007-11-23T13:27:54","modified_gmt":"2007-11-23T13:27:54","slug":"back-in-business","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/viamedia\/2007\/11\/back-in-business.html","title":{"rendered":"Back in business"},"content":{"rendered":"

I think this is a fairly\u00a0big deal.
\nDale Fushek, formerly Monsignor, was the founder of LifeTeen, and a very popular priest of the Diocese of Phoenix, serving as Vicar General.
\nThe\u00a0 outline of his troubles with the law can be found at his Wikipedia entry, but the basics <\/a>include a settlement of a sexual harrasment allegation back in the 90’s, and then, after investigations, indictments in 2005 on 10 misdemeanor counts related to sexual misconduct with teens and young adults. Three of those counts have been dismissed, and Fushek is currently waiting\u00a0for a hearing\u00a0from the Arizona Supreme Court as to whether he has the right to a jury trial on the remaining seven counts. He declares his innocence.
\nWell now Fushek, who is evidently seeking laicization, has started a “Praise and Worship Center” in the area.
\nHere’s the website.<\/a>
\nHere’s an article from today’s East Valley Tribune:<\/a><\/p>\n

Dale Fushek, the former pastor of Mesa\u2019s St. Timothy\u2019s Catholic Community, who was indicted on sexually-related misdemeanor charges in November 2005, was back before a congregation Thursday for the first time in three years.
\nAlthough he sent out no invitations, instead letting supporters spread news of his return, more than 550 people attended the first service of the nondenominational Praise and Worship Center at the downtown Mesa Marriott hotel.
\nMesa resident Elizabeth Culverson trembled with tears while she lingered in line to hug Fushek after the service. She said she had waited a long time to hear him preach again and felt blessed to be in the audience.
\n\u201cGod gave us a great gift today,\u201d she said.
\nsnip<\/em>
\nOn Thanksgiving Day, he said he was happy to be back before a group of worshippers.
\n\u201cI feel alive again,\u201d he said after the two-hour service Thursday morning. \u201cThis was inspiring and beautiful. I thought there was a really good spirit among the people here.\u201d
\nPam Davis of Mesa said she thought having the first service take place on Thanksgiving was appropriate.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s called \u2018Praise and Worship,\u2019 and how could you not on Thanksgiving?\u201d she said, adding that the service will complement her regular church attendance.
\nFushek said he started the center not as competition to the church but as a place where people can come to worship between regular services.
\n\u201cThis is not a church. It is not intended to draw people away from their denominations,\u201d he said.
\nThe Praise and Worship Center will meet periodically, to start, Fushek said, but he hopes to raise enough money and interest to meet every week starting next year.
\nThe next service is scheduled for 9 a.m. Dec. 23 at the Mesa Convention Center, 200 N. Centennial Way.
\nFormer priest Mark Dippre, who is running the center with Fushek, said they are hoping to offer an alternate place of worship that is more accepting than some churches in the East Valley.
\nPeople in attendance at the first service waited in long lines to personally thank Fushek for starting the center.
\nAs the service ended Thursday, the people in the audience raised their voices to sing \u201cBlessed Be Your Name.\u201d
\nFushek joined in, his arms raised toward the ceiling, his eyes closed tight.
\n\u201cHappy Thanksgiving. I love you,\u201d he said, in closing. \u201cI thank you so much, and it won\u2019t be three more years until I see you again. I hope to see you every week soon.\u201d
\nFor more information about the Praise and Worship Center, go to<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Lots of code words in there. Lots of ego, if I dare say so, too.
\n(Dippre resigned from his parish in 2002. A brief article on it from the 10\/1\/02 AZ Republic is available only through archives, but the gist:<\/p>\n

The pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church in Tempe resigned last week, blaming church members whose “letters or misguided rumors have killed this servant’s spirit.”
\nThe Rev. Mark Dippre, 38, resigned Wednesday. Letters read at Sunday Masses at the church, from him and Bishop Thomas O’Brien, emphasized that Dippre’s resignation is not the result of “any scandal or allegations.”
\nHe is taking a leave of absence “to re-evaluate whether he wants to be a priest,” diocesan spokeswoman Kim Sue Lia Perkes said Monday.
\n“It’s a hard job,” said Msgr. Dale Fushek of St. Timothy Church, where Dippre worked before his promotion two years ago. “There’s lots of responsibility, and some take criticism harder than others.”
\nsnip<\/em>
\nToni Logan of Tempe said Dippre arrived with high hopes. The parish had been his first assignment after ordination, and his return “seemed like an answered prayer,” she said.
\nBut he met “huge resistance” when he standardized church services, she said.
\n“It is ghastly to me that as community members, we would drive a pastor off rather than welcoming and accepting him,” she said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Update<\/strong>: From today’s paper:<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen he was put on administrative leave, he was told not to administer the sacraments and to not present himself as a priest,\u201d Jim Dwyer, spokesman for the Catholic Diocese of Phoenix, said Friday. \u201cIf he is not violating that, we wouldn\u2019t have to know specifically what he is doing.\u201d
\nThe Praise and Worship Center answers some key questions about the new ministry on a Web site, www.praiseandworshipcenter.net. The site spells out the ministry\u2019s mission statement, among other things.
\nFushek, 55, faces one count of assault, five counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and one count of indecent exposure. Teens complained that he carried on sexually explicit discussions with them during confession, exposed himself to them as he got into his hot tub and created a sexually charged setting with teens present.
\nFushek founded Life Teen, one of the largest international Catholic teen organizations that today has about 120,000 youths enrolled in 1,080 programs in 20 countries.
\nDwyer said Catholic leaders had been aware that Fushek and others were exploring their new ministry.
\n\u201cWe heard about some of the promotional materials that were done, but we didn\u2019t know if it was ever going to take place,\u201d Dwyer said. \u201cWe made it clear to the Catholics at St. Timothy\u2019s that it wouldn\u2019t be (regarded as) an official Catholic service. But other than that, we have no control on what he does as a Catholic citizen.\u201d
\nFushek told the Tribune after the service Thursday that he was resigning from the priesthood, but Dwyer said the diocese has not received notification.
\n\u201cI am not aware of any official resignation, and his status really hasn\u2019t changed,\u201d Dwyer said. \u201cHe definitely would have to contact the bishop first and go through some formal process.\u201d
\nMark Dipree, a former priest, is working with Fushek in the ministry. The Web site listed 2029 N. Alma School Road, Suite 107-14, Chandler as the address for the Praise and Worship Center, but the location is a mail drop, not a church office.
\nIf Fushek is convicted, he likely would have to register as a sex offender, which would restrict him from being around youth.
\nA Web site called www.helpmonsignordale.com<\/a> continues to solicit funds for Fushek\u2019s legal defense, and it uses the same address as the Praise and Worship Center.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Well, I guess they’d better change the name now, eh?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I think this is a fairly\u00a0big deal. Dale Fushek, formerly Monsignor, was the founder of LifeTeen, and a very popular priest of the Diocese of Phoenix, serving as Vicar General. 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Dale Fushek, formerly Monsignor, was the founder of LifeTeen, and a very popular priest of the Diocese of Phoenix, serving as Vicar General. 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