The Diocese of Brooklyn has issued official alerts and notified all parishes of their concerns about the following priests:
The Diocese of Brooklyn has been informed of concerns regarding Father Jorge Alberto Gutierrez Valle. He is a priest of the Diocese of Leon in Nicaragua, who does not have permission to minister as a priest, nor does he have the ministerial faculties of the Diocese of Brooklyn. We have reason to believe that Father Gutierrez has been celebrating Masses in family homes and collecting money to use for his own personal use in Queens.
Should any parish receive information regarding Father Jorge Alberto Gutierrez Valle, please contact this Chancery.
The United States Catholic Conference of Bishops has been advised of concerns regarding Father Mario Flores Meza, O.F.M. The Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon and the Diocese of Yakima have advised the Conference of their concerns regarding Father Mario Flores Meza, O.F.M. It has been advised that Father Meza has now been ordered by Precepts to cease ministry in the archdiocese and diocese and to return to his religious community in Mexico and relate that Father Meza has been continuing to minister in the Diocese of Yakima without permission.
Father Meza’s status as a Franciscan priest is irregular and he has refused the order of his religious superior to return to his community. The archdiocese and diocese also indicate that Father Meza’s actions may have included the celebration of illicit and possibly invalid sacraments, and has also presented himself for ministry in Oregon in the company of two other individuals claiming to be professed Franciscan Friars but who are not members of any known Roman Catholic Church.
Father Jorge Patricio Pintado Herrera is a priest of the Diocese of Ibarra in Ecuador, who plead guilty in 2003 to endangering the welfare of a child, after having been arrested for molesting a minor in Manhattan. Previous alerts have been issued on Father Pintado.
Most recently, our office was informed that Father Pintado has continued to celebrate Mass in people’s homes, and also during “parties,” even though he has no permission to function as a priest.
In the 1990s, he was very popular among the Ecuadorian communities and most recently it seems he is becoming popular amongst Mexican communities. It is believed that he may be residing somewhere in Brooklyn or Queens.
Please be advised that Father Pintado does not enjoy faculties from the Diocese of Brooklyn and he has no permission whatsoever to function as a priest in any way in the Diocese of Brooklyn.
If you might have information about any of the aforementioned priests, you are asked to contact The Chancery immediately at 718-399-5990.
