TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Four months after about $12,000 went missing from the bank account of Holy Spirit Old Catholic Church in Safety Harbor, the church still doesn’t have the money back.

Bishop Steven Rosezewski said the missing funds is hurting not only the church but the community as well, as the church regularly helps those in need. Now, after back-to-back hurricanes, the church has had to turn some away.

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“We’ve had to withdraw from participating from a couple of organizations because I don’t have the money,” he said.

“It’s a horrible feeling when you’re used to helping people, and all of a sudden being paralyzed by forces outside yourself that won’t allow you to practice the charity that you believe is part of your faith. Taking care of people, watching over people, even to have enough money to give people a tank of gas if they have a vehicle. I have to think twice about that because I don’t have that money to do that.”

That’s because back in June, the church noticed numerous charges on their debit card the church did not authorize, including a charge for $9,552 and $1,958, plus a slew of charges of $23.88 all to a web hosting company Go Daddy.

Holy Spirit Old Catholic Church is a small church with just over 150 parishioners. Rosezewski said this is a lot of money for his church to lose.

“It was embarrassing and frustrating because it calls to mind in the community, well, are we good stewards of our resources,” he said.

Consumer Investigator Shannon Behnken reached out to Go Daddy, and a spokesperson promised to investigate. Hours later, Rosezewski said a representative from the company called to apologize and said the money will be refunded.

Rosezewski said the church was a Go Daddy customer years ago but has not done business with the company in several years.

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