Pocono News Section

Throop Priest Removed for Picture Scandal

Throop Priest Removed for Picture Scandal - Tuesday, November 3, 2009 at 5:47PM EST

Reported by: Mike Trim
Tuesday, Nov 3, 2009 @ 05:47pm EST
THROOP, LACKAWANNA COUNTY -- A priest in the Scranton diocese has been removed from his position at three churches. It happened after he accidentally showed pictures of scantily clad men.

St. Anthony, St. Bridget, and St. John the Baptist churches in Throop all have a new administrator. Father Edward Lyman was removed after accidentally showing pictures of what the dioceses calls "minimally attired adult males."

Bob Jones of Throop was raised Catholic and can't believe it. "It's hard to believe that priests would do these things now-a-days. When I was a kid, I grew up you respected a father, you did what he said, you followed the rules," said Jones.

October 25th, just before 8:00 A. M. mass at St. Bridget church. That's when the Scranton diocese says Lyman showed the pictures from his personal computer.

He was projecting an informational DVD about the diocesan annual appeal fundraiser. None of the pictures included pornography or minors.

People in Throop say the mistake would have been inappropriate at any church. A mother walking her daughter to a Throop school bus stop said, "If it happened at our church I'd be totally shocked. Really shocked. I'd be devastated actually."

While Lyman has been removed from all three parishes the diocese wouldn't say where he is now or if he'll be assigned to another church.

Cardinal Justin Rigali appointed Lyman's replacement, father Jeffrey Walsh. Walsh prepared a statement for last Sunday's congregations at all three churches.

One part of that letter said, "Arrangments have been made to receive appropriate care for what led to father Lyman's behavior."

The letter went on to apologize to any members of St. Bridgets who were offended by the pictures.

Lyman was the administrator of these three parishes since 2007. He used to be the administrator of St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Mary of Czestochowa churches in Archbald.