Priest charged with simple assault and battery

 

 

UPDATE 5/24/17:  On May 24, 2017, Fr. Anselme entered a plea of no contest to the assault and battery charge in Culpeper County General District Court, and was fined $400 plus court costs, with an additional $200 suspended; he was also sentenced to 30 days in prison, which was suspended.

 

 

The following 3/1/17 announcement from the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary-Missionhurst, available at missionhurst.org was shared with the Diocese of Arlington on 3/1/17.  Father Anselme served as Pastor of Precious Blood Catholic Church, Culpeper, Virginia, from June, 2012 to July, 2016.  



Missionhurst-CICM US
Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary 
4651 North 25th St.
Arlington, VA
http://www.missionhurst.org/cicm-us

Priest Charged With Simple Assault and Battery  



The Rev. Anselme Malonda-Nkuanga, C.I.C.M, a priest of the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary-Missionhurst, has been charged with simple assault and battery, as a result of an allegation that he inappropriately touched an adult woman in Virginia in July and October 2016.  Since December, 2016, Rev. Malonda-Nkuanga has been on administrative leave from his duties as Pastor of Saint Eugene Parish in Wendell, N.C., and Our Lady of the Rosary Mission in Louisburg, N.C.  Simple assault and battery is a class 1 misdemeanor in violation of Section 18.2-57of the Code of Virginia.

Civil authorities were initially informed of the allegation at the end of November.  The investigation is still underway, and no final determination has yet been made regarding the allegation.

Father Anselme denies the accusation.  Like all priests of the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary-Missionhurst, he underwent a criminal background check prior to beginning his service in each of his assignments. During his 24-year tenure as a priest no other allegations involving Father Anselme have been received by the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary-Missionhurst or the dioceses where he has served. 

Missionhurst is an international religious missionary institute of several hundred priests and brothers with a missionary presence in the Philippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Japan, Indonesia, Zaire, Senegal, Cameroon, Zambia, Nigeria, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Brazil, Guatemala, Mexico and the U.S. 

The Missionhurst Fathers invite anyone with knowledge of any inappropriate conduct by Father Anselme to contact law enforcement authorities and also to contact Father Joe Giordano, CICM, 4651 N. 25th Street, Arlington, Virginia 22007; tel. (703) 582-3800.