LOS ANGELES (CA)
KCET
by Jennifer London
on February 2, 2013
[L.A. Archdiocese File on Joseph Pina]
[Cardinal Mahony’s Response to Archbishop José Gómez]
Joseph D. Pina was a Catholic priest for 26 years in Southern California until he left the church after repeated admissions of a sexual relationship with a minor. “Socal Connected” has learned Pina later went to work at Los Angeles Unified School District.
According to recently released church documents, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles was aware as early as 2009 that Pina was working for LAUSD, despite his extensive record of sexual misconduct as a Catholic Priest. It’s unclear if church leaders informed the district of Pina’s past.
Pina, whose last assignment was at St. Emydius Church in Lynwood, Calif., resigned from the priesthood in March 1998. A review of the LAUSD website shows Pina has worked as a community organizer for the school district as early as February 2002.
In an email to “SoCal Connected,” LAUSD’s director of communications, Thomas Waldman, confirmed former priest Joseph Pina is “the same Joseph Pina” who has been working at the district. Waldman did not have employment dates or Pina’s current employment status. As a community organizer at LAUSD, he organized and attended dozens of community outreach events throughout the city.
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