Irwin priest who resigned over hiring employee with criminal record being reassigned

IRWIN, Pa. — A priest in Westmoreland County, who resigned after hiring an employee with a criminal record, is being reassigned but moved to another parish.

The Bishop of Greensburg made this announcement Monday.

“All the parishioners really miss him,” said Susan Styles.

Many Immaculate Conception parishioners in Irwin call Father John Moineau a beloved priest.

“We’re all praying for Father John,” said Styles.

While battling stage 4 pancreatic cancer, Father John resigned after admitting he neglected to follow church procedures.

“This was negligent administration,” said Greensburg Diocese Bishop Larry Kulick.

Moineau transferred Shon Harrity to Immaculate Conception Cemetery despite his criminal history which included indecent exposure, open lewdness and drug charges. Then most recently in May, Harrity was arrested for raping a girl under 16. Greensburg Bishop Larry Kulick says Moineau signed off on Harrity’s failed background check, which is something the Catholic Diocese has spent countless hours of training and awareness on after the Pennsylvania sex abuse scandal rocked the church.

“Law enforcement did their investigation,” said Kulick. “Their determination was neither Father John nor the staff that was involved committed a criminal act.”

After this incident, Bishop Kulick called for a comprehensive review of nearly 8,000 employee and volunteer files in every parish and school across the four counties of the Diocese of Greensburg.

“I have to follow church law and so with all of this and with the investigation complete, we are announcing today that Father John Moineau is receiving a re-assigning,” Kulick said.

Moineau will now be a priest in Lower Burrell where he’s from but will no longer have any administrative responsibilities.

“It has been a tremendous outpouring by that Norwin community of support for Father but what about the victim,” said Kulick. “What about the victim of abuse? We can never forget the victim in this situation or any situation.”

Besides audits of every parish and school in the diocese, Bishop Kulick says there will also be supplemental training for every pastor and safe environment coordinator.

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