"An elderly priest languished in isolation, denied visitors and calls under self-imposed care of Arizona woman"A fierce custody battle between an Arizona woman and a priest’s family threatens the life and dignity of California-based Fr. Bernard “Brian” Gallagher.
Fr. Gallagher, who has resided in California after his retirement, was placed in a remote Arizona care facility, Payson Care Center, by Apache County, Arizona, resident Imelda Guadalupe “Lupe” Kowalczyk. After repeated complaints of being treated poorly at the facility, located far from California-based family and friends, and unable to have access to the Sacraments, the frail but mentally alert priest revoked, in writing, a health care power of attorney he had assigned jointly to Kowalczyk and another person, David Picella, in 2006.
On February 20, 2008, only five days after this written revocation and without notification to Picella, Fr. Gallagher or his family, Kowalczyk hastily obtained Temporary Guardianship and Temporary Conservator over Fr. Gallagher from an Apache County court—although Fr. Gallagher has never lived in Arizona—claiming him to be mental incompetent. Kowalczyk then ordered the care facility to forbid all calls and visits to the aging priest.
Unable to reach Fr. Gallagher by phone, concerned friends and family drove more than 450 miles to pay a surprise visit to the Payson Care Center, located in a remote part of Arizona. They found Fr. Gallagher in a deplorable state, isolated in a dark room, barely clothed with only a diaper, without blankets or sheets, flat on his back with a feeding tube in his stomach and exhibiting a troubling cough.
The elderly priest had lost a significant amount of weight and was experiencing severe bladder pain. His bed was low to the ground and without guard rails to prevent a fall. A mattress placed next to the bed, to cushion the priest patient should he fall, was filthy.
Picella, NP, Ph.D.(c), in a written legal declaration, “I have never seen such bad neglect, abuse, and outright lack of concern for a patient’s well-being.”
Attorney Greg Weiler, partner at Palmieri, Tyler, Wiener, Wilhelm & Waldron LLP, who represents Fr. Gallagher and his family, "In my 25 years of legal practice, I have never seen a more egregious abuse of the legal system to victimize an elderly defenseless priest.”
Full Article and Source:
Life and Dignity of Aging Priest in Danger
See also:
An elderly defenseless priest
Custody Battle Threatens Health and Life of Aging Priest
Press Release (pdf)
2 comments:
I believe God is watching and waiting for judgment day for Imelda Guadalupe “Lupe” Kowalczyk.
There is a very special place in Hell for Kowalczyk and all others like her, who neglect, abuse and take advantage of the most vulnerable in our society.
I hope you're right, Sue.
The pleading look on Fr. Gallagher's face says it all --- and should shame them, if they are capable of shame.
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