A new medical study challenges the account of a Northwest Side Catholic priest who says a 93-year-old parishioner was mentally competent when she made him trustee of her home last year.The widow "suffered from dementia from as early as January 2008," according to an examination of her hospital records requested by Cook County Public Guardian Robert Harris.
The Rev. Thaddeus Dzieszko, of St. Constance Roman Catholic Church, has vigorously defended his actions, saying he became trustee of Waleria Krzemien's home to ensure she could continue to live there. But Dzieszko relinquished his interest in the property last fall after the public guardian raised questions about the deed during a probate court case.
The Archdiocese of Chicago and the Cook County state's attorney's office are conducting separate investigations into the land transaction. Dzieszko remains the pastor of St. Constance, but he has stepped aside from parish duties while authorities examine the disputed property transaction.
Full Article and Source:
Report Contradicts Pastor's Claim About Parishioner's Competency
See Also:
Priest Scrutinized in Property Transaction
6 comments:
With a record of dementia, a later-dated power of attorney or durable power of attorney would be invalid.
It looks like Dziesko's story is unraveling.
I know many people who don't have relatives leave their worldly goods to the church. And that's fine. The question would be did she realize that's what she was doing at the time? I would think probably so.
This could go either way and we can't really trust the press' account to be accurate.
The question here would be if the priest took advantage of the situation, knowing the woman was vulnerable.
This could be one of those cases when the Priest was acting in good faith keeping Waleria Krzemien home where she wanted to be where most people want to stay until they die. I'm not convinced the Priest had bad intent here and Waleria was getting what she wanted, to stay in her own home.
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