by KYW's Michelle Durham
Philadelphia police have arrested a man they say posed as a Roman Catholic priest while visiting a hospitalized Philadelphia police officer.
And authorities say he was also involved in two Catholic masses at the Basilica of Ss. Peter and Paul for officers killed in the line of duty.
Capt. John McGuiness of the Northeast Detectives division says the suspect posed as a Catholic priest to provide comfort to the family of officer Richard Hayes, critically injured while on duty by a drunk driver (see related story):
"Paul Schlear showed up at the hospital dressed as a priest. He basically told the family he was there to represent the Cardinal. He's been there many times."
McGuiness says a police sergeant visiting the family began investigating Schlear because he looked too young to be a priest.
And McGuiness says the Hayes family was devastated when they discovered they'd been duped:
"Apparently he's been trying to fool people for a long time. He went to two different police funerals and participated."
Schlear admitted to KYW's sister television station CBS-3 that he committed the impersonations to show support for the officers.
A statement released by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia confirms that Schlear did walk as a lay person in the funeral processions for fallen officers Patrick McDonald and John Pawlowski (right, highlighted, wearing a vestment called an alb).
Records show that Schlear was enrolled in St. Charles Borromeo seminary for just one year. Now he is in police custody, awaiting arraignment.
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