Bishop warns Catholics to avoid services started by Life Teen founder

Published: 2008-01-14

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The priest who founded the Life Teen ministry program has established a nondenominational Praise and Worship Center that is drawing hundreds of participants a week, prompting a warning to Catholics from the bishop of Phoenix to stay away from the services and not to support the center. The Praise and Worship Center has held a handful of worship services in Mesa, Ariz., since Thanksgiving, attracting as many as 700 people for services built around Scripture readings, Christian music, prayer and preaching by the charismatic Msgr. Dale Fushek, a Phoenix diocesan priest who is on administrative leave from Catholic ministry, and another resigned priest. Msgr. Fushek, who founded Life Teen, an international youth ministry program, has been on administrative leave since late 2004, when allegations were raised that he had engaged in improper sexual conduct with teens. A year later he was charged with several misdemeanor criminal counts of assault, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and indecent exposure. Some charges were dropped and the others have not come to trial. The Arizona Supreme Court is currently weighing Msgr. Fushek's request for a trial by jury.

Copyright (c) 2008 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .