CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A longtime pastor at St. Helena, a Romanian Catholic church on Cleveland’s West Side, pleaded guilty Thursday to taking more than $100,000 from an elderly parishioner.

Andre Matthews, 54, had already pleaded guilty to separate charges that he stole $176,000 from the church.

Matthews, who now lives in Arizona, was placed on medical leave in August 2011.

Rev. Chris Terhes, director of communications for the

Romanian Catholic Diocese of St. George in Canton, said in a news release that Matthews was suspended from his duties as a priest on July 18.

"He is forbidden to celebrate any sacraments or represent himself as a priest," Terhes said.

Matthews is set to be sentenced for both crimes on Oct. 15.

After any court proceedings are over, Matthews will go through a separate church-based justice process.

Cleveland Heights police investigated the second case, which involved an 88-year-old woman whose bank accounts Matthews had power of attorney over, his attorney Gerald Gold said last month. Matthews by charged with misappropriation of funds by way of a bill of information rather than an indictment.



"We expect to make amends in court," said Gold, who couldn't immediately be reached Thursday.

Matthews had been the pastor of St. Helena’s from 1990 until his resignation in 2011. The West 65th Street church is one of several Romanian Catholic churches in Northeast Ohio and has 80 to100 families as members.

The Romanian Catholic Church recognizes the pope as its leader, but follows different traditions than the Roman Catholic Church

Officials from the diocese hope to receive restitution as part any sentence, which could also include a significant prison sentence.