Rev. Paul R. Valdez

Summary of Case: In March 1999 an 11-year-old girl told her parochial school teacher that she didn't want to go to Valdez for confession, because Valdez had put his hand on her groin during confession the previous December. The teacher and the school principal humiliated the girl in front of the class, told them not to tell anyone, and downplayed the incident to the Deptartment of Social Services.
The girl's family sued, resulting in a settlement. In 2011 Valdez remained an active priest of the Monterey diocese.

Ordained: 1982
Incardinated: Monterey diocese

1982

Monterey Bishop was Thaddeus Anthony Shubsda (1982-1991)

1990

Shubsda was succeeded by Sylvester Donovan Ryan (1992-2006)

Salinas

• In March 1999 an 11-year-old female Sacred Heart sixth grader told her teacher that Valdez had put his hand on her groin during confession in Dec. 1998. The girl told her mother while "crying hysterically" about the incident she said had occurred the previous December. Per a police report, several other girls in the class also said they didn't want to go to Valdez for confession.

Parish had a school with 307-301 students, and a religious education program with 600 students.

Sr Lynne, who was the girl's teacher, and the school principal, Sr. Paulette Tiefenbrunn, humiliated the girl in front of the class, downplayed the incident to child protective services, and told students not to tell anyone.

The girl's family sued the diocese in Dec. 1999, resulting in a settlement.

2/3

Administrator

2005

Ryan was replaced by Richard John Garcia (2006-)

Sources: Official Catholic Directory (New York: P.J. Kenedy and Sons, 1983-2010)

• Records Show 4 Priests Accused, By Alex Friedrich, Monterey County Herald, May 5, 2002
• Alleged Clergy Abuse Mishandled, Report Says, By Alex Friedrich, Monterey County Herald, May 17, 2002
• Special Reports: Catholic Bishops and Sex Abuse, Dallas Morning News, June 12, 2002
• No Grounds Found for Prosecuting Allegations of Abuse, By Alex Friedrich , Monterey County Herald [Monterey CA], Downloaded March 29, 2003
• Monterey Diocesan Directory, 2010

Priests in a Parish: We use the following convention to show a priest's place among the clergy of a parish: 1/2 means that he is the first priest listed in the Official Catholic Directory (usually the pastor) and that there is a total of two priests at the parish. The shorthand 3/4 means that the priest is listed third on a four-priest roster. See our sample page from the Directory.

Note: The Official Catholic Directory aims to report the whereabouts of Catholic priests in the United States on January 1 of the Directory's publication year. Our working assumption is that a priest listed in the Directory for a given year was at the same assignment for part of the previous year as well. However, Kenedy and Sons will sometimes accept updates well into the year of publication. Diocesan clergy records are rarely available to correct this information. The Directory is also sometimes misleading or wrong. We have tried to create an accurate assignment record, given the source materials and their limitations. Assignment records are a work in progress and we are always improving the records that we post. Please email us with new information and corrections.

This assignment record collates Valdez' career history as it is represented in the Official Catholic Directory with allegations as reported in the media. We make no representation regarding the truth of the allegation we report, and we remind our readers that the U.S. legal system presumes that a person accused of or charged with a crime is innocent until proven guilty. Similarly, individuals who may be defendants in civil actions are presumed not to be liable for such claims unless a plaintiff proves otherwise. Admissions of guilt or liability are not typically a part of civil or private settlements. For more information, see our posting policy.

This assignment record was last updated on July 19, 2011.