Olathe ? A priest who acknowledged stealing from church funds to feed a gambling addiction was sentenced Friday to serve 48 hours in a county jail and serve probation.

The Rev. Anthony Williams, 51, a former pastor at St. Paul’s Catholic Church, apologized for stealing $44,000 from church funds.

“I hate the fact that I’m a compulsive gambler,” he said before being sentenced in Johnson County District Court.

Williams resigned in October after admitting to parishioners in a Sunday sermon he had a gambling problem.

He will not be allowed to work in a position where he has to deal with financial matters. Williams already has paid back about $7,500.