Fr. John AllenCHARLOTTE — Bishop Peter Jugis announced today Father John Allen has been assigned parochial administrator of St. Matthew Church in Charlotte effective Dec. 13, while its pastor Father Patrick Hoare remains on administrative leave.
A priest of the Diocese of Charlotte, Father Allen is returning to North Carolina after serving in various leadership positions at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio.
“I am deeply grateful to God for the inestimable privilege of serving the Pontifical College Josephinum and its seminarians for the past 11 years,” Father Allen said in a statement from the Josephinum.
In his 11 years of service at the Josephinum – from 2005 to 2009 and again from 2013 to 2019 – Fr. Allen has served as Dean of Men in both the College of Liberal Arts and School of Theology, taught courses in Church History in the School of Theology, served as Director of Pastoral and Apostolic Formation for the seminary and, since January 2013, as Vice President for Advancement and Director of Alumni Relations.
Father Steven Beseau, president/rector, said, “The Josephinum is grateful to Bishop Jugis for having made possible Father Allen’s 11 years of service to this pontifical seminary.”
Father Allen’s return to North Carolina will be a permanent one, as he is needed to assist here in the growing Charlotte diocese, Bishop Jugis told Father Beseau.
Ordained in 1990, Father Allen has served in a variety of ministries during his priestly ministry. In addition to parish ministry in Greensboro and Gastonia, he was the diocese’s vocations director and chaplain of Charlotte Catholic High School before moving to the Josephinum.
Father Hoare remains on leave pending an investigation into an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor about 25 years ago in Pennsylvania, before he entered ministry. Father Hoare has denied the allegation. Placement on leave is standard practice under the 2002 Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, as investigations by civil authorities and the diocese are conducted.
In a Dec. 9 statement to St. Matthew parishioners, Bishop Jugis said, “Please join us in praying for God’s blessing upon the parish of St. Matthew at this time.”
— Catholic News Herald