Bishop Michael Bransfield, who was accused of sexual harassment and financial irregularities while leading the Wheeling-Charleston Diocese of West Virginia, died on May 7 at the age of 82.
Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston said in a statement Bransfield “passed away peacefully.” It urged the faithful to pray for his family and friends.
The diocese said, “As our Church has a tradition of praying for the dead as well as the living, we pray for the repose of their souls and ask God to have mercy on them.”
A native of Philadelphia, Bransfield was ordained in that archdiocese in 1971. He served as the first rector of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC, after it was named a basilica in 1990.
Pope John Paul II appointed him to lead Wheeling-Charleston in 2004. He served there until 2018, when he reached the traditional retirement age of 75.
After Bransfield retired, Pope Francis ordered Baltimore Archbishop William Lowery to investigate claims that Bransfield was involved in the sexual abuse of adults. The investigation ultimately uncovered a wide range of scandals, including a “consistent pattern” of inappropriate sexual behavior.
Bransfield gave financial gifts to several bishops, Lori saidSaying he received $7,500 worth of gifts from Bransfield and later returned the funds.
The investigation also found examples of financial mismanagement and impropriety, including allegedly spending large amounts of money on alcohol and spending millions of dollars on home renovations.
The report found that Bishop “adopted an extravagant and lavish lifestyle that was in stark contrast to the faithful he served and was for his own personal benefit.”
Pope Francis later banned Bransfield from participating in the public celebration of Mass, while Bransfield’s successor, Bishop Mark Brennan, ordered him to pay nearly $800,000 in restitution to the diocese.
Brennan also prevented Bransfield from being buried in the diocesan cemetery. The diocese said on May 7 that his funeral and burial “will not take place in West Virginia.”
