Ex-Batavia priest pleads guilty to disorderly conduct

A former priest at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Batavia pleaded guilty Jan. 2 to disorderly conduct, for a March 2014 incident in Rockford.

The Rockford Diocese announced the news Jan. 9.

Monsignor Aaron Brodeski, 45, originally was charged with misdemeanor public indecency. He was accused of exposing himself to a worker and customers at a Rockford gas station.

The diocese put Brodeski on leave April 25, after Winnebago County authorities informed it of the investigation in to Brodeski.

The Winnebago sheriff's office said that on March 27 they were called to a Road Ranger gas station. A clerk said a man had exposed himself inside the station and while parked in the lot. Brodeski was arrested May 23.

Brodeski has served in the diocese since 1998, including about a year in Batavia.

He is not assigned to any parish or post, according to the diocese's statement, and "participated in evaluation for any difficulties affecting his conduct and ministry."

He has been sentenced to two years of court supervision, fined $500 and most perform 30 hours of community service. Brodeski now lives in Rockford.

A new priest, the Rev. James Parker, was appointed for Holy Cross July 1.

In a bulletin for Masses the weekend of Jan. 11, Parker informed the parish about the conclusion of Brodeski's case by pointing them to the statement on the diocese's website, then wrote: "In this regard, we must remember that all of us fall short of the glory of God and are in need of God's grace. Any time we have gone through difficulties in life we appreciate the compassion and support of others. Let us pray for each other as we go forward as a community in faith, hope and love."