Former Easton Priest Admits Stealing From Delaware Parishes

The Rev. Cornelius Breslin pleads guilty to felony theft

WILMINGTON, DELAWARE A Catholic priest has pleaded guilty to felony theft after being charged with embezzling more than $350,000 from two parishes of the Catholic Diocese of Wilmington.

The Rev. Cornelius Breslin entered the plea Wednesday in New Castle County (Del.) Superior Court, the same day he was to go to trial on charges of stealing from St. Patrick and St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception parishes.

Breslin, 59, pleaded guilty to one count of felony theft more than $100,000 and prosecutors agreed to drop a second theft count and two counts of falsifying business records.

Breslin will be sentenced Sept. 23, following a presentencing investigation. Sentencing guidelines call for up to one year in prison.

Breslin was indicted in February after diocesan officials reported suspicious financial activity to the attorney general's office.

The Catholic Diocese of Wilmington in February confirmed that diocesan officials did not find any missing money or financial records during the Rev. Cornelius J. Breslin's five-year tenure as associate pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Easton.

Diocese of Wilmington spokesman Bob Krebs said in February there is no investigation into Breslin's activities at Sts. Peter and Paul or the parish's two other churches during his assignment there from 2000 to 2005.

"We looked into it and did not find any financial abnormalities at Sts. Peter and Paul," Krebs said. "He did not have any access to money or financial records since he was only an associate pastor."

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