Sinful Spending: Clergyman's Mobile Game Habit Leads To Divine Intervention By Law

From holy water to digital coins, the tale of a Pennsylvania priest's unexpected journey into the world of mobile gaming is a twist worthy of its own virtual adventure.

Candy crush priest
What would the Lord say? | © EarlyGame

In a bizarre turn of events, the former head of St. Thomas More church in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, is facing charges for allegedly swiping over $40,000 from church funds to feed his addiction to mobile gaming.

From The Pulpit To The Pixel

The Priest's holy heist came to light in 2022 when an eagle-eyed accountant noticed some suspicious transactions on the parish credit card. It turns out that the good Reverend had been treating himself to too much Candy Crush and Mario Kart Tour action, spending the bulk of his cash on in-app purchases through the App Store.When confronted, he tried to pass off the spending spree as an innocent mix-up, claiming the credit card was just linked to his phone for church-related expenses. He insisted it was all a result of his lack of attention to detail, but detectives weren't buying it.In a bid to make amends, the Priest coughed up $10,000 of his own money to chip away at the debt and even cut a check for an additional $8,000, along with a heartfelt apology to the church.

Despite his attempts at damage control, prosecutors are pressing ahead with charges, backed by advocacy group Catholics4Change. It seems this isn't a case of divine oversight, but rather a classic tale of a priest with a sweet tooth for virtual candy.

Johanna Goebel

Johanna is studying Online-Journalism in Cologne and has been travelling the gaming world since she was a toddler. Her heart beats for open-worlds, action or fantasy RPGs and third-person shooters with great storylines and (un)charming characters.

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