Group protests Pleasanton church bringing in priest with prior arrest

Contra Costa Times ^ | 11/12/7 | Scott Marshall

[SmithL]

A group distributed fliers Sunday morning at a Pleasanton Catholic Church because the priest selected to lead the parish was arrested several years ago in a case involving a lewdness allegation.

Church leaders defended him.

"He wouldn't be here if I weren't satisfied and the bishop," said the Rev. Dan Danielson, who is stepping down.

The Rev. Padraig Greene takes over Jan. 1 at the Catholic Communities of Pleasanton, which includes St. Augustine Catholic Church and St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church.

Greene was associate pastor there for five years before moving to St. Joseph Catholic Church at Mission San Jose.

Oakland police arrested Greene in 1999, alleging he acted lewdly in a restroom, said Joey Piscitelli, director of the Northern California chapter of Survival Network of Those Abused by Priests.

Piscitelli and others visited St. Augustine on Sunday to alert parishioners, the director said Sunday.

"It's a red flag for us as a survival group," Piscitelli said. "We're also worried the bishop of Oakland would make him the top man in Pleasanton.

Greene agreed to undergo counseling in St. Louis, according to Piscitelli and the Rev. Dan Danielson, who is retiring as head of Catholic Communities of Pleasanton.

"The reality is, there's no child involvement in this at all," Danielson said Sunday. "There's no minors involved. What there is is a lewd act."

Charges were dismissed, Danielson said, "so there's no official record of this at all. Advertisement He has done wonderful work after that very dark moment in his life."

Parishioners support Greene, Danielson said.

"It's hard for him," Danielson said of Green.

"I don't know anyone who hasn't" made a mistake.

Danielson said he would provide more details to parishioners in next week's church bulletin.

[dblshot]

Well if he was arrested as a prior I’d want to know what that was abbot.

n. prior - the head of a religious order; in an abbey the prior is next below the abbot.

[PAR35]

Sounds like he needs to meet up with Mr. Craig.

[aimhigh]

Forgiveness is acceptable in this situation, but appointment to leadership is a separate issue. The Bible says a church, “must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.” 1 Tim 3. Testimony is sometimes translated to reputation.