Controversy Surrounds Exiting Priest

WTAE
August 16, 2012

http://www.wtae.com/news/local/allegheny/Controversy-surrounds-exiting-priest/-/10927008/16148094/-/gpswkn/-/index.html

Pittsburgh's bishop is speaking out Wednesday night in support of a man who used to be the pastor of a parish.

Hundreds of parishioners poured out of Sewickley's Saint James Catholic Church on Wednesday to honor a Catholic holiday and also to say goodbye to Pastor Dan Valentine.

"I think he's been dragged through the mud, and people formed horrible opinions until he was cleared and now everybody coming tonight, but damage is done," parishioner Renee Cunningham said.

Members of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests said they were met mostly with resistance as they urged churchgoers to question why the church is allowing Valentine to give a farewell mass, after inappropriate Facebook messages to a boy.

SNAP members said they also want to know why the church is not being open with the community with what those messages entailed and what Valentine's intentions were.

"If the church is so concerned with children like they state, and they want to be transparent to the congregation, why is everything kept so hush, hush?" asked SNAP member Frances Samber.

Bishop David Zubik also weighed in on whether the patrons have a right to know what the messages said and what the general tone of the Facebook messages was.

"I think it's important to protect the privacy of the individuals involved, and I try to respect that privacy," Zubik said.

The bishop said the church would not have allowed Valentine to lead one last mass before his resignation if the district attorney had filed any charges.

"He'll remain on leave of absence for a while. It's my hope he'll return to ministry, but we'll have to wait and see," Zubik said.