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	Parishioners Defend Priest, Don't Believe Sex Abuse Allegation By Ariel Zangla Daily Freeman March 3, 2006 http://www.dailyfreeman.com/site/ news.cfm?BRD=1769&dept_id=74969&newsid=16232371&PAG=461&rfi=9 CAIRO - Parishioners at Sacred Heart Parish came to the defense of the Rev. Jeremiah Nunan on Thursday, praising the priest's work and saying they did not believe an allegation that he sexually abused a male child 30 years ago. Nunan, the pastor at Sacred Heart and at Our Lady of Knock Mission in East Durham, took a voluntary leave of absence from public ministry after the allegation was made. A prepared statement from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany on Wednesday said Nunan denies any wrongdoing. "He's a great person," said Sacred Heart parishioner Patricia Steinhauer. "He's very well-loved." Steinhauer said some parishioners cried when Nunan announced his leave of absence during Masses last weekend. "We all can't wait for him to come back," she said. Dorothy Hynes, who volunteers in the Sacred Heart Parish office, described Nunan as supportive and caring and said he often visits patients in hospitals and nursing homes. "He is just an outstanding priest," she said. "I can't tell you how wonderful he is. He's always there for everybody." Hynes said Nunan gave her husband the last rites when he died. Anne Camadine, wife of Greene County Legislator Michael Camadine, said she has known Nunan since the late 1970s and that he celebrated the funeral Mass for her father in 1980, when he was the pastor at St. Mary's in Hudson. "I'm just absolutely shocked and I don't believe it," Camadine said of the sexual abuse allegation. Ken Goldfarb, spokesman for the Albany diocese, said the allegation against Nunan has been forwarded to the Independent Mediation Assistance Program, a body created by the diocese in 2004 to investigate such claims. Once the IMAP's investigation is done, the Diocesan Sexual Conduct Review Board, a mostly lay panel, will decide whether grounds exist to believe the allegation against Nunan. The review board then will make a recommendation to Bishop Howard J. Hubbard about what, if any, action should be taken against the priest. Goldfarb said he did not know how long the investigation will take and that the Rev. John Murphy, who retired five months ago, will carry out Nunan's duties during the investigation. The diocese has provided no specifics about the allegation against Nunan, including the accuser's name, his age at the time of the alleged incident or where the abuse is said to have occurred. Sacred Heart parishioner Sal Culoso said Nunan is the best thing that's ever happened to Cairo, and he described the priest as a friend and a wonderful person. "He's a prince among men," Culoso said. Camille Thiesen, the director of religious education at Sacred Heart, said she has known Nunan for more than 13 years and "can't say enough good things about him." "He's just always been there for his parish community," Thiesen said. "He's a fantastic person, a very caring priest." Said Goldfarb: "The sense we have here (at the diocese) is that the parishioners at Sacred Heart are very supportive of him."
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