Nearby: Community Says Farewell to St. James Pastor, Protestors Greet Them outside
By Larissa Dudkiewicz
Hundreds from the local community attended a farewell mass Wednesday night to say good-bye to a Sewickley priest they say reached across the aisle and made a lasting impression on many, both Catholics and non-Catholics. A standing-room-only crowd, estimated at 1,000 people, filled St. James Catholic Church to capacity as a show of support for the Rev. Dan Valentine, who resigned last month in the midst of an investigation that began over Facebook messages he posted to a minor. Valentine delivered his final mass on a holy day after serving as pastor for six years. Those who attended described the atmosphere as electrifying. They said Valentine received two prolonged applauses during the service, each lasting at least five minutes. One came whenPittsburgh Catholic Bishop David Zubik introduced Valentine. “The applause was astonishing,” said Bill Boswell of Glen Osborne, a parishioner since 1978. “We’re sorry to lose him.” “It was beautiful,” said Barbara Cooley-Thaw of Bell Acres, who isn't Catholic, but wanted to attend the service. “I’ve seen Paul McCartney. I’ve seen the Rolling Stones... . The love and faith that was expressed, you can’t fool that many people.” But protestors with SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, who gathered outside the church weren’t applauding. Fran Samber, representative with SNAP, said she wanted the diocese to show some transparency and inform the community about the nature of the Facebook messages. Samber also wondered why the church would organize a farewell mass and reception, which she said sends the wrong message. “You don’t just wake up and decide to send an inappropriate email once, never to do it again, especially to a minor,” Samber said. “That’s a red flag.” "And they say victims first," added Mary Persuit of Sewickley. A few protestors held signs while others passed out leaflets to those entering the church. Some ripped up the handouts or stopped to briefly exchange words with the protestors. "The man was totally exonerated," said Carolyn Verszyla of Sewickley, a parishioner since 1967. "I think this is inappropriate." Valentine took a leave of absence beginning on May 19, but resigned last month. The Allegheny County District Attorney’s office investigated and concluded the Facebook postings were "a matter of poor judgment," but not criminal. Zubik said the diocese isn't releasing the messages to respect the privacy of the family and everyone involved. He said a lot of people are hurting and the farewell mass gave parishioners an opportunity to say goodbye. “If the disposition obviously of the district attorney had been different, we wouldn’t have had this mass,” Zubik said. "But it was an opportunity to come together on a Feast of Mary for people to be able to pray, and that’s the most important thing we did tonight.” The Rev. Kevin Long, pastor of the Presbyterian Church, Sewickley said all of the pastors in the area have the greatest respect for Valentine and are "sorry to see him go." Valentine participated in Long's installation last year and led the Sewickley Area Ministerium group of local churches. "He's been such a unifying force in this town and he's meant so much, obviously, to so many people here, whether they're part of this church or not. We always joke and say he's the mayor of Sewickley. Everybody knows Father Dan," Long said. "One of the things that's so great about Father Dan is he didn't worry about all of our differences, which in the church often divides us. He was worried about what brought us together and that was unique." The Rev. Ron Lengwin, diocese spokesman, said Valentine resigned, but remains a priest of the diocese and still has a place in the Catholic church. His replacement, the Rev. Thomas Burke, pastor of Good Shepherd Parish in Braddock, will replace Valentine begins on Aug. 27. This story was updated at 9 a.m.
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