Statement regarding embezzlement charge against former Westland parish employee

In the late summer/early fall of 2011, the Archdiocese of Detroit conducted an audit of the books of St. Theodore Parish, Westland. During the course of the audit, certain questionable transactions involving the former business manager/bookkeeper were discovered. In October, this information was turned over to the Westland Police Department, which then conducted its own investigation.

Pursuant to the issuance of a warrant, the former employee, Kathleen Galoch, has been arraigned on a charge of felony embezzlement. Mrs. Galoch worked at the parish from March of 1986 to March of 2011 under several different titles— administrative assistant, parish administrator, and business manager. Under each title, her main duty was to do the parish’s day-to-day bookkeeping. Her employment ended earlier this year after her position was eliminated due to budgetary restraints.

The Detroit archdiocese takes these matters seriously; it continues to cooperate fully with civil authorities. While the case proceeds through the legal system, the archdiocese and parish staff will be limited on making additional public statements and/or comments.