FOLLOWING allegations that a Catholic charity in the US had sold free flu jabs to the poor comes a report from South Africa about the arrest of a Roman Catholic priest, who allegedly sold baby formula meant to be given free to underprivileged children.
The 67-year-old unnamed cleric was arrested on Thursday at his Queenstown church mission after police and the Eastern Cape health department were alerted to the scam.
Police and department officials set a trap and bought a tin of milk from the church for R35 (just over £3.00) before his arrest.
Queenstown Warrant Officer Namhla Mdleleni said police were investigating.
We can confirm the arrest of a 67-year-old father from the Roman Catholic Church. He will be charged with dealing and possession of suspected stolen baby formula.
Police found more than 1,400 400g tins of baby formula packed in a back room of the church mission. Near them was a cash till with cash in it.
One of the customers, Nontsapho Tshaya, said she was frightened after five police officers had questioned her. She told them:
I am coming from a village and I didn’t know that this was illegal. Am I to be arrested? I am scared.
Police did not arrest her but took the milk that she had just bought from the church.
The priest is expected to appear in court soon.
Hat tip: Duncan Withers
The Freethinker was founded in 1881 by GW Foote, an outspoken critic of religion. After the publication of 
April 29th, 2011 at 6:12 pm
Another example of the “christian values” which various leading members of the RC hierarchy say must be preserved as they are being eroded by aggressive atheists. Taking money from mothers desperate to feed their babies is another demonstration of what “suffer little children” really means to these criminals.
Note the silence that reigns from Nichols and O’Brien when these crimes continue to be revealed. They should look at the mote in their own eye before criticising us. What amazes me is how the RC priesthood continue to operate anywhere in the face of this tsunami of RC crime and cruelty.
April 29th, 2011 at 6:27 pm
Did I read that right? Not only was a woman duped into paying for free milk, she also had the milk taken from her by the police. Thankfully the police didn´t arrest her for being ignorant of the fact that she was being duped. Then I suppose,she had to go and buy milk somewhere else, assuming she had the money, or her baby went hungry.
April 29th, 2011 at 7:26 pm
It occurs to me that we are aware that this kind of thing goes on because we follow blogs like this one. Could it be that the average Catholic thinks that the RCC is totally wonderful because they are never exposed to a single negative story. Would it be a start to e-mail every story like this one to ‘The Tablet’ and challenge them to either publish it or give a plausible reason for failing to?
April 29th, 2011 at 7:30 pm
The Tablet and the Catholic Herald rivaling the Freethinker? Ain’t ever gonna happen, Stonyground, more’s the pity.
April 29th, 2011 at 7:43 pm
Sorry to be off topic.
I was in my house this afternoon when the door bell went off. I could make out the vague forms of two people, so I thought ‘I wonder if I can wind them up’. Then I opened my door and the two oldest women in Glasgow were stood there (the tasty one was about 80). What was to come out as ‘Would you like me to come to your house and tell you about reality?’ came out as ‘Thank you ladies, yes I’d love to have one of your leaflets’
My inner atheist is still embarrassed.
April 29th, 2011 at 7:53 pm
Every day, in every way, the likelihood of a RC priest being a decent chap drops by small percentage. Not that the C of E is much better, in financial matters. My mum still occasionally rants that she can remember them being the worst slum-landlords in Britain.
Tony, at least you got a free fire-lighter out of it. There’s always a silver lining.
April 29th, 2011 at 7:56 pm
The heart of the clergy is to take something that doesn’t belong to them. Offerings, money, legacies you name it the clergy will want it.
Sorry to be off topic. But I gave in and watched The Royal Wedding. Did you noticed that more than several times the camera homed in on Elton John and David Furnish. Conservative Christians must have been hopping. The Music. “I was glad” Parry, Then “twang twang” Rutter which all sounds the same to me and not even the Wedding March!! Time for a Republic!! And that man with the funny hat was there again!!
April 29th, 2011 at 8:30 pm
@ tony e: Thank you so, so much for that – I thought I was probably the only person in the world who answers the door to god botherers with every intention of giving them a really hard time, and then, somehow, ends up apologising for not believing – as in “I’m sorry, thanks for calling, but we don’t actually believe in religion”.
My missus, on the other hand…(think rottweiler with a grudge).
April 29th, 2011 at 9:48 pm
Just another thought. A few years ago there was a Chinese scandal over baby’s milk and several people were executed. The formula had contained poisons and affected thousands of babies. Greed and corruption can be found in all walks of life not just religion. I think religion is more a reflection of human nature. Oh, and I had two Jehovah witnesses at the door who said they had come to give me some literature but it “wasn’t religious”. I cant think what else it was.
April 30th, 2011 at 2:17 am
Up until now, to admit to being a working priest, minister or some other sort of cleric was tantamount to admitting that that the person is a child rapist by implication. Now, it’s even better, clerics and their kind can add crook, criminal and robber / fraudster to the roster of undesirabilty attached to these people. I know it’s not only the religiously deluded who behave in this manner, but the fact that they are supposedly representing the god thing make the crime even more evil as it plays on peoples misplaced trust. The churches have replaced prisons as the place to find a concentrated collection of crooks. If they’re not faith healers and televangelists, they’re your regular priestly fraudster / con man, the dog collar is a sign of a professional crook, bit like waving a red flag with “I’m a crook” written on it. Surely the deluded will come to realise they’ve been lied to as the promised offerings of religious belief never pay off. Unless of course your employed by a church and your scam is successful.
April 30th, 2011 at 2:38 am
Tony e – don’t be embarrased. Social conditioning is hard to shake off. I had a JW show up at the door pretty early when I’d had 4 hours sleep after a late night. I was expecting a parcel and thought it was my delivery. As happens, my keys were nowhere to be found and I stumbled around the house in my shorts mumbling and bouncing off the walls and shouting “Coming!” at the front door.
Then I got there and it wasnt my parcel, it was a social reject. He started up with the have I heard the good news shit. I automatically said something like, “Erm, thanks but I’m not intersetd. Thanks anyway” What I had meant to say was, “Fuck off you ignorant selfish bastard, you got me out of bed for this!?!?!?!” before braining him.
April 30th, 2011 at 3:15 am
Is there any depth to which the Catholic church won’t sink?
April 30th, 2011 at 9:55 am
Buffy once you reach the lowest circle of hell where else is there to go?
April 30th, 2011 at 10:08 am
Hmmmm… The South African police confiscated this woman’s can of milk powder after having already proved that the priest was guilty. With some African police forces you might think that the reason the priest was arrested was that he was selling his free milk powder cheaper than they were selling theirs.
April 30th, 2011 at 11:58 am
Okay in the light of the evidence religion can be exposed as a scan. But then you open one of those self help books and often find a section which states that to have a fulfilling life, you need a balance of work, leisure, sex, friendship, SPIRITUALITY, etc., I’m no expert (as you probably can tell) but some professional is telling me I should be spiritual. Religion seems like a cohesive glue that attracts people together despite the obvious contradictions. I’m wondering whether religion is/was an essential part of human evolution the ability to manipulate others for one’s own ends.
April 30th, 2011 at 5:45 pm
But then you open one of those self help books…some professional is telling me I should be spiritual.
You might want to be a little more skeptical in that section of the bookshop.
May 1st, 2011 at 1:42 pm
‘I should be spiritual’…
I would really like to know what spiritual means. It is often found in sentences like ‘ I do not believe in any formal relgion but I am spiritual’. What it often means is that the speaker is sentimental and/or likes nature.
Any thoughts?
May 1st, 2011 at 5:58 pm
Another priest was arrested for the same scam.
http://www.beeld.com/Suid-Afri.....k-20110429
(Sorry, the article is in Afrikaans.)
May 1st, 2011 at 6:34 pm
@Lucy – To me it always rings true when I replace the phrase “I am a very spiritual person,” with “I am full of bullshit.”
Its an entirely extraneous label. I’m an artist, so when I am being creative, designing, painting, writing or composing, I’m using parts of the brain, that I don’t usually. It’s relaxing and fulfilling.
Like gardening. Or cycling to work. I’m calm, and the various societal pressures that make me grind my teeth and get my back up, such as paying the bills, david cameron, britains got talent etc.. are far from my mind.
Spiritality is basically, I find, an added layer of pretention onto what is merely relaxation – but with added crystals, healing candles and other woo, that the gullible have paid for.
I am a curmudgeon mind, but a chilled out one with a cold beer.