Wanna know what finally happened to me and the Church?

Between just after Thanksgiving of 1999 and late April of 2002, I went to a number of funerals for my older relatives who started dying off then. Been to a few after that, most notably in 2010 but that's a different time- I'm talking those few years there now. The ones that also had September 11, 2001 happen in the middle of it all too.
But the point is, with enough funerals, you end up in Church quite a bit.
Especially with my Grandfather's funeral, in 2002, because I actually participated and did a reading for that one. The Priest at the time, Father Arko, was almost the only person who was paying attention to the needs of MY generation regarding the death, others only looking to the children, not grandchildren, etc.
I thought, wow, this man, this Priest is really, truly a spiritual person, and made you feel comfortable, and cared about and all that stuff.
I actually thought, wow, maybe I could go back to church.
IF I went back to that particular church.

And...
That's where things went to Hell, because maybe a year after that... I think it was in '03- Father Arko got busted for growing marijuana in the rectory. You might've heard about it? Even though it's a suburban church in NE Ohio? It did get into US national media a bit. Prince of Peace church, being called "Prince of Pot" and all that?

I even remember Jay Leno doing a joke on the frigging tonight show about it, how with all the other scandals in the Catholic Church, when that news broke, they must've thought "Phew, it's just drugs! What a relief!"

Well, the thing is, I knew parishioners had turned him in, snitched or whatever. So, I figured, great. I can't trust these people. I don't grow pot or anything- haven't even tried to use it since college, where I only tried it a few times at parties where everyone else was doing it anyway- but still, just knowing that they'd turn in someone who mainly grew it for medicinal purposes, (which he did) I just felt like, well, screw you people. Like, oh, they can't tell the difference between the spirit of the law and the letter, you know?

(edit: yes I know this was still law-breaking. And I know when I think about it that a lot more people could have gotten in trouble for NOT saying something. But when you are in an emotional state- which relatives dying will do to you- you don't always think with the best logic or clarity. And I don't actually know what motivated the person who turned him in. Yeah, they probably did think they were doing the right thing, not just trying to snitch.  And no, I don't still feel mad at whoever it was like I did at the time, because I don't doubt they thought they were doing the right thing. And honestly, I don't really know ANY of these people, nor did I ever know them. )

Of course he wasn't Priest there, or anywhere, after that.

And if he wasn't the Priest, I didn't want to go to the church. Simple as that.

There'd been a chance I could've gone back to church, but in my mind at the time, the parishioners blew it.

Too bad, how sad.

So, that's what happened.

(Edit: I don't mean to sound like I have no idea there could have been consequences for knowing a person was breaking a law, and not saying anything. And I really have no right to judge them. This is explaining what my thoughts were more than anything. And acknowledging that my thoughts are not always objective.)