Rodis sentenced to 13 years

By Reed Williams

Published: January 15, 2009

A Louisa County judge yesterday sentenced a former Catholic priest to 13 years in prison for stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from two parishes where he served as pastor.

Rodney L. Rodis, who also led a secret life as a married man, will serve that sentence after he completes a five-year prison term in a related federal case.

A Louisa jury in October found 52-year-old Rodis guilty of 10 felony theft counts and recommended a 200-year prison sentence. Circuit Judge Timothy K. Sanner suspended all but 13 years of the jury's recommended sentence, saying that prison terms as long as 200 years are usually reserved for heinous cases of murder, rape or child sex abuse.

Sanner added that the jury had been swayed by moving testimony during the sentencing phase of the trial, and was appalled by a string of excuses Rodis gave. Several parishioners testified at the trial that their faith had been shaken by his deception.

The judge yesterday ordered Rodis -- who used a cane as he walked to the defense table -- to pay $432,000 in restitution. That is the amount the Louisa jury found him guilty of stealing.

All told, prosecutors believe Rodis stole more than $1 million from Immaculate Conception and St. Jude Catholic churches as he solicited money for major capital campaigns.

Several members of St. Jude attended yesterday's hearing.

Rosemarie Ayres, a 21-year member of the church in Mineral, said she had hoped Rodis would get a stiffer sentence.

"He has to answer to the higher power," Ayres said, "and I take comfort in that."

Albert Gutekenst and his wife, Marilyn, also members of St. Jude, said their 18-year-old son and 20-year-old daughter now question their faith. Gutekenst said he would have preferred Rodis get at least 50 years.

Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Rusty McGuire said he was pleased with the sentence when added to Rodis' federal prison term. During the hearing, McGuire told the judge that the worst types of defendants are those who prey on children and the elderly, or who abuse a position of trust. "The defendant, Rodney Rodis, fits all three of those categories," he said.

Rodis began serving the two churches in 1993 and retired from both in May 2006 for health reasons. The investigation found that Rodis had been living with a wife and children near Fredericksburg while leading the two churches, flouting centuries-old Catholic rules prohibiting priests from having sex or marrying.

The embezzled funds were supposed to be used for such causes as church construction, tsunami relief and mission work in Haiti.

Rodis, a native of the Philippines, used some of the stolen money to support his wife and three children. He also wired at least $515,000 to the Philippines. Authorities say the money bought numerous properties there, including a three-story mansion with views of mountains, a jungle and the Pacific Ocean.

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