MIAMI SHORES, Fla. — A South Florida priest is asking for forgiveness from his parishioners after learning that he fathered a child, a spokeswoman for the Archdiocese of Miami said Tuesday.
Monsignor Chanel Jeanty, the pastor at St. James Catholic Church in North Miami, learned in late December that the child was the result of a previous relationship he had with a woman, Archdiocese of Miami spokeswoman Mary Ross Agosta said in a statement. She said the relationship ended more than a year ago.
Jeanty has contacted the mother and "plans to contribute to the support of his child," Agosta said.
"Monsignor Jeanty has already sought God's forgiveness, and he is asking for the forgiveness of his parishioners, who will be disappointed when they learn of his lapse," Agosta added. "Monsignor Jeanty must face his parishioners and seek to regain their trust, as he continues to serve, and at the same time attends to his responsibilities to the child."
