St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Boynton Beach is in shock after the Diocese of Palm Beach abruptly placed its pastor, Rev. Alex J. Vargas, on administrative leave on Friday over what it described as unspecified “serious charges.”
According to the diocese, Father Vargas has been barred from exercising any ministry and instructed not to contact parishioners, employees or volunteers while church officials and law enforcement review the allegations. Local authorities have been notified, and the diocese is urging anyone with information to come forward.
In a written statement, the Diocese of Palm Beach said it had opened a formal internal investigation and reported the allegations to law enforcement. “Father Vargas enjoys the presumption of innocence and is not considered guilty at this time,” the statement read, as reported by WPTV. The outlet also shared images of the diocesan notice and noted that anyone with information is asked to call the diocesan reporting line at (561) 775-9558 or contact the Florida Department of Children and Families.
Background on Father Vargas
Father Alex Vargas was installed as pastor at St. Thomas More in July 2025 after serving the parish as parochial administrator and parochial vicar, according to the Diocese of Palm Beach. At the time, diocesan coverage highlighted his leadership and pastoral work with the community.
The parish website continues to list its regular Mass schedule, ministries and academy, and it features the same diocesan notice about Father Vargas’ leave with no additional public statement from the parish itself. Media inquiries are being directed to diocesan officials. As of publication, staff and the church calendar indicate that services will be handled by other clergy while the review is underway. General parish information remains available on the St. Thomas More site.
Diocesan Procedures and Reporting
The Diocese of Palm Beach’s Safe Environments office provides guidance on reporting allegations, obtaining victim assistance and cooperating with civil authorities, as detailed on the Diocese of Palm Beach site. The diocese notes that civil and canonical processes can move forward on separate tracks and has encouraged anyone with relevant information to use its reporting line so investigators can follow up.
No criminal charges have been announced at this time, and the diocese has repeatedly stressed the presumption of innocence while both church and civil investigations proceed. This story will be updated with any new filings or statements from law enforcement and diocesan officials.
