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Originally published Aug. 20, 2024
STEUBENVILLE, Ohio – Child custody disputes can turn into bitter legal battles, but what happens when the mother is fighting the Catholic Church?
A Steubenville mother has found herself in that situation as she fights to regain custody of her 2-year-old son from two Catholic priests he is living with at the St. Peter Parish rectory.
The boy’s mother, Jorden Edgar, is locked in a legal battle with the two priests, Father Timothy Huffman, St. Peter’s pastor, and Father Bradley Greer, priest-in-residence at St. Peter’s, according to the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.
Edgar told the newspaper that she and her husband, Edgar Pauley, moved to Steubenville from Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania and received babysitting help and supplies like food and diapers from the church and a local community center, the Friendship Room.
The priests reportedly became concerned over the child’s welfare due to alleged hygiene and neglect issues. They reportedly contacted Jefferson County Children’s Services in Steubenville.
In December 2022, the priests filed for custody of the young boy, which a judge granted. The judge reportedly specified the child would stay at the church rectory until the court made a final custody determination. The case was filed nearly two years ago with no final custody determination yet being made.
Jorden Pauley reportedly does not have an attorney and has set up a Go Fund Me page to solicit money for legal expenses and help in regaining custody of her child, as she states on the fundraising page:
Hi my name is Jorden Pauley and I am starting a go fund me page because I am in desperate need to get a attorney to help me get my son back from two catholic priest who were granted emergency custody on December 9 of 2022 of my child they are trying to say I am a bad mother.
They are trying to say that I’ve had drugs and many other bad things around my child I was never given the chance to raise my child. They were assuming to me and my husband that they were just there to help, but instead they took custody of my child.
Jorden Pauley, Steubenville mother in custody battle with priests for her son
River News Network reached out to Pauley for comment but she has not yet responded.
Dino Orsatti, Director of Communications for the Diocese of Steubenville, referred River News Network and radio host Dimitri Vassilarosto a statement that the diocese posted on its website that the diocese does not comment on pending legal matters but maintains that its priests are in compliance with its child protection policies and are the child’s court-ordered legal custodians.
The Diocese of Steubenville does not comment on pending legal matters. However, the diocese is confident that Father Bradley Greer and Father Timothy Huffman are in compliance with the child protection policies of the Diocese of Steubenville because they are the court ordered legal custodians of the minor child.
Diocese of Steubenville statement dated August 13, 2024 on pending child custody case
Bishop Jeffrey M. Monforton presided over the Diocese of Steubenville at the onset of the custody case in 2022. On Sept. 28, 2023, Pope Francis appointed Bishop Monforton as the 32nd auxiliary bishop of Detroit, according to the Diocese of Steubenville website.
River News Network contacted the Diocese of Detroit for a comment from Bishop Monforton on the case. Holly Fournier, Associate Director of Communications, Archiocese of Detroit said Monforton did not have an update.
Bishop Monforton’s ministry as Bishop of Steubenville concluded nearly a year ago, so he is unable to provide any comment or update on this matter.
Holly Fournier, Associate Director of Communications, Archdiocese of Detroit
River News Network reached out to the Jefferson County Department of Job & Family Services which oversees Children’s Services. Jefferson County DJFS Director Michelle Santin declined comment on the case.
The priests reportedly met the Pauley family at a community assistance organization, the Friendship Room, which is managed by St. Peter’s parishioner Molly McGovern, according to the Post Gazette. McGovern is listed as the founder and president of the group, according to their website. River News Network contacted the Friendship Room and spoke with a woman who identified herself as McGovern’s assistant. The woman said McGovern would not comment on the custody case. She added that the organization has no religious affiliation.
Follow Dimitri – Live & Dangerously Local!™️, River News Network online and RNN Facebook for updates to this developing story.