‘Ganja’ priest a first for RC Church

THE Roman Catholic Church said charges of marijuana possession against a member of the clergy was unprecedented in the Church’s history and it is still trying to determine how it should deal with the priest in question.

Public Relations Officer Monsignor Cuthbert Alexander yesterday told Newsday the Church had never encountered a situation where a priest was charged for drug possession and does not have a position on the matter as yet. On Wednesday night, Fr Jimmy Peters was arrested in St Augustine and charged with possession of marijuana. He pleaded guilty when he appeared before a Tunapuna magistrate on Thursday and was ordered to pay a fine of $1,000 or face three months in jail.

Alexander added that the Church will make a statement on the matter in due course. Asked if he knew where Peters was residing, Alexander said he believed Peters is staying at the RC Chaplaincy in St Augustine. He said as far as he was aware, Peters is currently on study leave and was formerly parish priest at Couva RC. When Newsday called the Chaplaincy, a staffer indicated a number where Peters could be found. However a person at that residence said no one by that name lived there.