Chaplain at VA hospital in Bedford is suspended

By Brian Ballou and Martin Finucane, Globe Staff

A chaplain at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Bedford who has been living at a church rectory in Stow is under investigation for “personal conduct matters,” the Archdiocese of Boston said today.

The Rev. Luke Odor is being investigated by the Archdiocese for the Military Services, which supervises him, the Boston archdiocese said in a statement.

Odor has been suspended by the military archdiocese and the Boston archdiocese said it had followed suit, taking “similar action.”

It wasn’t clear what Odor allegedly might have done. The Boston archdiocese said the allegations did not involve any matters related to the Boston archdiocese or the church in Stow.

Kellyanne Dignan, a spokeswoman for the Boston archdiocese, referred further questions about Odor’s alleged actions to the military archdiocese.

Reverend Walter J. Woods, the temporary administrator at the Church of St. Isidore did not return calls and emails seeking comment about Odor. The military archdiocese, based in Washington, D.C., did not return calls seeking comment on the investigation.

“We will cooperate with any investigation, but at this moment I’m unaware of what the allegations are,” said Kristin Pressly, spokeswoman for the Bedford VA.

Odor of Aba, Nigeria, has been living in the rectory at St. Isidore’s in Stow. He will no longer be allowed to live there and he is not allowed to act as a priest in the Boston archdiocese, church officials said.

“The church prays for all those impacted by these events,” the Boston archdiocese said.