Newly discovered clergy sex abuse claims against Father George Alengadan resulted in the Catholic Diocese of Oakland placing him on administrative leave from his duties as pastor at St. Joseph Basilica Parish.

The Diocese announced that an independent investigator found Alengadan “had engaged in inappropriate conduct of a sexual nature with current and former female employees of the Diocese.”

Since that investigation’s findings, the Diocese said it received new alerts that Alengadan has faced allegations of clergy sex abuse claims made by women that date back as far as 2002.

The San Francisco Chronicle originally published articles questioning why Alengadan was reassigned a couple of times and raised the question of the 2002 allegations. The Chronicle reported that Alengadan had been a family friend of a woman who asked him to officiate her wedding. The family says they felt particularly close with Alengadan because the young woman’s parents shared the same home state, which was Kerala, located in southern India. She told the Chronicle she really perceived Alengadan as an uncle-type figure in her life.

In 2002, Alengadan was reportedly head pastor at St. Ambrose Church in Berkeley. She saus sje went to visit him regarding her wedding one evening and when he hugged her, he allegedly placed a hand on her breast. According to the Chronicle’s report, he called her “sweet child,” “sweet girl” and told her about a scar he had from surgery in his groin area. He then reportedly tried to put her hand down his pants, at which point she could tell he had an erection.

According to the report, he apologized about the erection, and she became scared. They began walking down some stairs, and she told reporters that she thought she could push him down the stairs if she had to in order to get away from him. She said she left quickly, as soon as she signed marriage paperwork.

She did not have Alengadan officiate at her wedding, according to the report, and both her parents called the priest to confront him for what he put their daughter through. They say he cried and said he was sorry, but the parents also reported the incident to the diocese, which directed them to meet with a nun and priest.

The family said that they thought Alengadan would face repercussions from the Diocese, so they did not go to the police, which they told the Chronicle they now regret. The woman’s mother told reporters the nun allegedly told her that because her daughter was an adult and because no police report was filed, there was nothing that could be done. This response from church officials is among many responses that have made parishioners question where the Church’s loyalties lie in the ongoing Roman Catholic Church sex abuse scandal that continues to uncover seemingly unending allegations of inappropriate and sometimes criminal behavior committed by people who have been trusted and revered in their communities.

Alengadan Can’t Stay at Rectory Due to Clergy Sex Abuse Claims

Alengadan had been staying at Christ the King Catholic Parish in Pleasant Hill since December, according to reports, but officials sent a letter to parishioners in early February saying he “will not be living or ministering at Christ the King Parish until further notice.”

According to the East Bay Times, the letter also said even though the independent investigation determined a level of misconduct was committed by Alengadan that the police investigation would determine if the accused priest had broken the law.

Oakland Diocese Bishop Michael Barber had reportedly allowed Alengadan to stay at Christ the King.

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