A priest serving a Tioga County parish is on voluntary leave after allegations of sexual abuse of children that date back decades recently resurfaced.

The Diocese of Rochester has confirmed Father Thomas Valenti’s request for leave from his pastoral duties has been granted.

Valenti is the parochial administrator at Blessed Trinity parish that includes Saint James Church in Waverly, Saint John in Newark Valley, Saint Margaret Mary in Apalachin and Saint Patrick’s parish in Owego.

The original accusations against Valenti had been reviewed and the Diocese deemed them unsubstantiated. No other allegations had been made against the priest after that.

Valenti was named in a list of eight clergy members accused of sexually abusing children from the 1950s through the 1970s in the Diocese of Rochester.  In the allegations outlined by an attorney working with a group advocating for survivors, Valenti was accused of misconduct while serving at Saint Mary’s of the Lake Church in Ontario, New York.

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