I don't know exactly when I learned that Fr. Valentine had been named as an abuser by the New York Times.

The first piece in which Valentine was named ran in the New York Times on Sunday, March 3, 2002...

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I didn't read the New York Times regularly, and probably didn't learn about the story until it ran in the local, St. Louis press a day or so later.

As for how it affected me, you can say I was surprised to see Fr. Valentine named.

But surprised isn't a strong enough word.

A better word is "stunned."

I didn't know how to process what I was hearing.