Photo by Scott McCloskey The Most Rev. Mark E. Brennan was installed in August as bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston.

WHEELING — The Roman Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston continued to be rocked by turmoil surrounding its disgraced former bishop, as its new bishop attempts to bring healing and reconciliation to the troubled diocese.

The former bishop, Michael J. Bransfield, resigned at age 75 in September 2018 and later was barred from ministry by Pope Francis.

The diocese is seeking restitution and apologies from Bransfield, but he has not responded to the church’s call for action.

The Most Rev. Mark E. Brennan was installed as the diocese’s ninth bishop on Aug. 22. Brennan, who had served as an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Baltimore since 2017, was appointed bishop of Wheeling-Charleston on July 23.

Since his installation, the new leader has traveled throughout the diocese, listening to parishioners’ concerns and seeking to restore the faithful’s confidence in the church.

In late November, Brennan announced his plan to seek $792,638 in restitution from Bransfield. The plan also calls for Bransfield to apologize to adults whom he sexually harassed; to the Catholic faithful of the diocese for the harm he caused and damage to the church’s reputation; and to diocesan staff “who were subjected to a culture of intimidation and fear of retribution.”

In addition, the diocese reduced Bransfield’s monthly compensation package from $6,200 to $736, Brennan said. A stipend of $736 is equal to the pension of a priest who served 13 years, which is the length of time Bransfield was in West Virginia.

The previous package included pension, insurance, housing and administrative staff. It was based on standards recommended by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops for retired bishops.

Money paid as restitution will fund assistance to victims of sexual abuse by clergy and laity, the current leader said.

Bransfield was given an opportunity to make his own plan of amends as mandated by Pope Francis, but did not do so. Brennan has said he is still waiting for a full response from Bransfield.

Since Bransfield’s departure, a number of lawsuits have been filed against him and the diocese for alleged misdeeds during his 13-year tenure. Bransfield’s lavish lifestyle and excessive spending also have come under scrutiny from church leaders and public officials.

A secret Catholic Church report about Bransfield became public last week. The 60-page investigative report detailed a pattern of alleged inappropriate sexual and abusive behavior, abuse of alcohol and prescription drugs, and questionable financial practices which resulted in the diocese’s operating expenses exceeding its income by $187 million.

The report, labeled “privileged and confidential,” was submitted on Feb. 21 to Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore by the firm of Zuckerman Spaeder LLP. Lori served as apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston for 11 months, from Bransfield’s resignation until Brennan’s installation.

The Washington Post, which obtained a copy of the document in June, posted the report on its website Monday.

Factual findings in the report include:

∫ “During the period of his episcopacy, the operating expenses of the diocese exceeded its income by $187 million, causing the bishop to draw from the diocese’s endowment and mineral rights account to make up the deficit and pay for various projects initiated by the bishop. Bishop Bransfield exhibited a pattern of using diocese funds as if they were his own without regard to need or whether the diocese could afford a particular project.”

∫ “Bishop Bransfield adopted an extravagant and lavish lifestyle that was in stark contrast to the faithful he served and was for his own personal benefit. The bishop traveled frequently, almost exclusively by first class airfare or private jet. He spent large sums on gifts, flowers and alcohol, and authorized the renovation of his personal residences at unreasonably high cost.”

Remodeling costs for three residences used by Bransfield totaled $6 million, the investigators said. These expenditures included $4.6 million spent on the bishop’s home at 52 Elmwood Place in Wheeling; $722,792 at a residence in Charleston and $697,105 for a residence on the Welty TownHomes site in Wheeling.

After the report was prepared, the diocese announced plans to sell the Elmwood Place home. David H. and Meredith McKinley of Wheeling later purchased that property for $1.2 million.

∫ “Bishop Bransfield’s abuse of alcohol and prescription drugs likely contributed to his harassing and abusive behavior. Although Bishop Bransfield’s sexual harassment and intimidation occurred both during the day and night, multiple instances of abuse were reported when the bishop was heavily intoxicated and/or under the influence of prescription pain medication.”

∫ “By failing to take any action, the chancery monsignors enabled the predatory and harassing conduct of Bishop Bransfield, and allowed him to recklessly spend diocesan funds for his own personal use. Further, independent, qualified lay and clergy board members should be selected to serve appropriate advisory roles in connection with actions taken by diocesan-related entities and should receive support for their proper functions.”

The investigators recommended the diocese should replace the three senior chancery monsignors. In response, Lori removed the monsignors — Vicar General Fred Annie, Judicial Vicar Kevin Quirk and Vicar for Clergy Anthony Cincinnati — from those positions.

Since February, when the confidential investigative report was completed, West Virginia’s attorney general and police in Washington, D.C., have issued subpoenas to church officials in Wheeling and Baltimore, seeking the report and other records about Bransfield that they believe could help investigations into sex abuse claims. In public statements, church officials repeatedly pledged to cooperate.