By Michael Baumann
An astute reader of this blog provided a website that has a photo of Father Tetherow. While Tetherow is prohibited from presenting himself as a Catholic Priest, he is doing just that. He is also listed as an “Ultimate Service Provider Priest” on Dave Romeo’s Ultimate Service Providers Referral List. I did a screen grab of the site to make sure I had it just in case it somehow changed in the next couple of days. You know how frequently web pages are adjusted after all.
So here he is folks, Father Gabriel, A.K.A Father Virgil Bradley Tetherow, formerly a priest in the Diocese of Scranton. Father Gabriel pleaded guilty in a case where child pornography was found on church computers at St Ann’s Church in Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania. As a result of an investigation into the incident, Father Gabriel pleaded out to lesser charges and received two years probation. His case is allegedly now with the Vatican to determine his status as a Roman Catholic Priest. Although he has been prohibited from wearing clerical garments and acting as a priest, “Father” Gabriel is now ministering at Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Mission. This Catholic Mission is a schismatic church in York, Pennsylvania operating without the approval of the Diocese of Harrisburg.
To quote the write up for “Father Gabriel” on the Ultimate Service Providers website:
Father Gabriel Tetherow
Priest
Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Mission
129 South Beaver Street
York, PA 17401
Phone: (717) 309-8866
Web: SaintsPeterandPaulRMC@suscom.net
Email: posenti3@yahoo.comSpecialty Providing the Traditional Latin Rite Mass to the Diocese of Harrisburg
Dave’s Comments: I first met Father Tetherow in 2006. He is a warm, compassionate, and approachable priest who immediately connects with people. He is extremely devout and knowledgeable in his faith and he is one of the finest speakers I have ever heard. His sermons are meaningful, inspirational and unforgetable.
I bet Dave would not be so effusive in his praise of this “priest” if he were aware of Father Gabriel’s appreciation for photos of children in various stages of undress and in sexual situations which are most inappropriate for children.
Perhaps we should let Dave Romeo know that many of us are not pleased with a priest who engaged in the types of behaviors let led to his entering a guilty plea in court. We are also not happy that this man is conducting himself as a priest in open defiance of an order by the Bishop of Scranton to cease doing so.
Send Dave Romeo an email and let him know what you think about Father Tetherow.
Thanks to NEPA Catholic for the tip on the photo and the web location for “Ultimate Provider” Tetherow. Let’s keep the spotlight squarely on this threat to children in the York, Pennsylvania area.
More information on Father Tetherow and his troubles at St Ann’s can be found at:
Scranton Times-Tribune article from February 12, 2005
Star-Ledger article from March 18,2005
Scranton Times-Tribune article from March 18, 2005
Off My Knees - A Blog by Michael Baumann 
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Ken Schaefer, Catholic Dioces. Catholic Dioces said: “Father” Gabriel Tetherow – “Ultimate Service Provider!” « Off My …: This Catholic Mission is a schismatic ch.. http://bit.ly/1f5n79 […]
If these priests could just be recognized as pedophiles in the local police dept’s registry and then put in the nathinal registery plus all the local newspapers, we could know how to protect our children. When they still pose as men of God and scare the children in the name of Jesus we have a Huge Problem. The PD’s should get with it and start accusing the diocese’ of aiding and ABETTING in the cover ups of these evil Men in a church that does not recognize women. That should be their[PD”S ] first clue.
Before anyone goes ahead and sends that email to good Mr. Romeo, who knows Father and knows what was done to Father, take a moment to think about this. You read this web page which instructed you on what to think, feeding you a one-sided view of the situation. You were then told to email Mr. Romeo about what you think, or rather what you were just taught to think. Father was framed, and is willing to discuss the matter with any honest person who approaches him about it. The best priests are the ones who suffer the worst persecution by people who would like to stop them from serving God in such a holy way, people who put filthy images on their computers and whatnot. Think, someone could do that to you too. Get to know Father and you will see that he is simply too holy and too paternal of a priest to harm any of God’s children. It is the modernist priests who distribute communion to abortionists, active homosexuals, and adulterers whom you should be worried about letting your children be around. The scandalous modernist priest filth has to stop, and so does the one-sided gossip about good priests like Father by people who don’t even know him.
Devoted,
I don’t know this individual, so I can’t say you are right or wrong about his ministry. However, there have been so many priests who had all the marks of holiness but turned out to have a fatal flaw. The kind of thinking you express–that he is too holy to be guilty–is the most dangerous possible mindset to have: You are putting trust in a fallible man rather than in God, and doing so in a way that puts innocent children at risk. There is no priest, indeed no human being on earth, too holy to fall into sin, and it is incredibly irresponsible and theologically flawed to say otherwise. It is similar to neglecting to pray for the soul of a seemingly holy person, presuming “they must be in heaven.” St. Alphonsus tells us that the great majority of priests go to hell. St. John Chrysostum tells us that the floor of hell is paved with the skulls of bishops. Priestolotry is one of those evils that distorts the Church’s true teachings about holy orders and which has led to the horrific scandal we observe today.
If he is not guilty, why did he plead guilty? No matter what is said, he is still the one who plead guilty. I hope and pray that he is in fact not guilty, but the fact that after being told he is not to act as a priest, but yet continues to do so, is very distressing. What about the vow of obedience? And even if he didn’t take that vow, humility would dictate holy obedience.
Permit me to answer a question with a question? What did St. Peter do when he was asked did he know Jesus? Before you answer that one to yourself, ask yourself another question, what would you do if you were a priest in today’s society and were being accused of such a vile crime, and your lawyer advised you to cop the plea?
Given all of the above questions, what would you do in his position?
I think the fair thing to do especially in today’s times, for our priests is to vet not just the obvious, but to see if there were any prior problems, or any after problems. You see pedophiles never just strike once. It is a deranged flaw in the psyche. It just does not come out of nowhere. So if this was an incident with a computer in shared quarters, then I say all would be suspect.
Drink that Kool-Aid!
“vet just not the obvious”? Ignore the pattern of misconduct before and after that is well documented. A man with so many name changes, are you serious?
Answering a question with a question is merely avoiding answering the question. Be all pious and righteous, it is a very misled Catholic thing to do. Your priest copped to a lesser charge to save his skin. He either lied about the other priest or violated the seal of confession. Both sins in the Catholic church. He has a pattern of deception and inappropriate, self serving behavior that has been documented by people who were once completely convinced of his innocence. What fine qualities in a “priest” barred from acting as a priest. You are an expert in Pedophilia or just adept at the use of Google?
Who said he only struck once?
Let me ask you a few questions, little sheep, Do you know him, truly know his heart, truly know what he has done? Would you allow him access to your children? Your grandchildren? Are you so sure of his innocence that you would risk the innocence of a child?
[…] prior posts on Tetherow include: The friend of my enemy is my enemy…“Father” Gabriel Tetherow – “Ultimate Service Provider!” Letters, we get letters…A Few Last Thoughts on the Chairman of Sts. Peter and Paul […]
“Fr” Tetherow is at it again. He just contacted an independent chapel in south jersey where there are small children. Help.
[…] Un autre « prêtre » pédophile du diocèse de Scranton, véritable havre des pédophiles de l’Ordo Templi Orientis qui se font passer pour des curés. Il a plaidé coupable dans une affaire de détention de pornographie infantile, découvert dans l’ordinateur de l’église Saint Ann de Tobyhanna en Pennsylvanie. Son plaider coupable lui ayant permis d’alléger sa condamnation à seulement 2 ans de prison. Bien qu’on lui ait interdit de porter l’habit suite à cette affaire déplorable, le « père » Gabriel officie pourtant désormais au sein de Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Mission, un mouvement schismatique à surveiller … (source) […]