MORRISTOWN, Tenn. — A priest at Morristown's St. Patrick Church has been placed on leave following accusations he violated church policy.
In a letter to parish members, the diocese said Father Miguel Vélez was placed on administrative leave following a complaint of "boundary violations."
This comes just days after another priest, Father Joseph Reed at St. John Neumann Catholic Church, was accused of violating the same policy. The diocese said it's important to note these are separate and unrelated complaints and the timing is coincidental.
The diocese said it will wait for the completion of the authorities' investigation before conducting its own independent and comprehensive review.
"With an abundance of caution, Fr. Velez has been removed from his pastoral responsibilities during the time of the investigation, as our primary concern is the protection of those in our care and ensuring a fair, comprehensive review of the allegations," the diocese wrote to church members. "During this investigative process, we uphold the principle of presumption of innocence and will take appropriate measures to protect the individual’s dignity and reputation until the facts are fully established."
Vélez was appointed pastor of the parish in June 2022, according to a newsletter from the diocese in September 2022. He was previously assigned to All Saints Parish in Knoxville before moving to St. Patrick as a parochial administrator in 2020.
In the interim, the diocese said Father Adam Royal will take over the pastoral needs at the church and all regular parish activities are scheduled to continue as normal.