Fr. Arsène Dutunge, This Complaint Deserves an Answer

A partially blind Catholic man says his requests to join a parish faith program went unanswered while a fictitious female enquirer received a warm welcome. Catholic News is calling for a fair investigation—and an end to the reported silence.

A person reaches out to a Catholic parish seeking faith and community. He should receive a welcome, an explanation, or at least an acknowledgement. When he believes he has been treated unfairly and asks the pastor to investigate, he deserves to be heard.

That is the basic standard at stake at St. Anthony’s Parish in West Vancouver.

According to the account shared with Catholic News, John, a partially blind man of Middle Eastern background, repeatedly sought information about joining the parish’s Alpha course. His experience left him feeling excluded. Those advocating for him say they subsequently contacted the pastor, Fr. Arsène Dutunge, seeking an investigation and an opportunity for John to explain what happened. They report receiving no reply.

These allegations deserve a serious response. A church’s commitment to human dignity must be visible in how it treats people who raise uncomfortable concerns.

Two enquiries, two reported experiences

Our earlier report described enquiries John sent on December 6 and December 15 to the parish’s Alpha coordinator. According to that account, his messages went unanswered for weeks.

To test whether another enquirer would receive a response, those investigating the situation created a fictitious female persona named “Faye.” The message asked about bringing a teenage girl to the same course. The reported reply arrived within five hours and warmly welcomed both prospective participants.

That difference raises a legitimate question: why did one person reportedly receive prompt encouragement while another received nothing?

The comparison alone does not establish discrimination based on race, sex, or disability. The enquiries differed, and the available account does not establish what the recipient knew about John’s background or visual impairment. Delivery problems, timing, and other circumstances should be examined.

But unanswered questions are a reason to investigate. John should not have to conduct an informal test simply to feel that his request for fellowship matters.

Pastoral leadership means responding

St. Anthony’s publicly identifies Fr. Arsène Dutunge as its pastor and lists adutunge@rcav.org as his contact address. Its website presents the parish as a welcoming community and encourages people to connect with its ministries. Those commitments make this complaint particularly important. St. Anthony’s parish website

Catholic News and John’s advocates say they asked Fr. Dutunge to investigate and hear John’s side. Their account is that he has not responded.

We cannot infer from that reported silence whether the messages reached him, what he knows, or whether any review has occurred. We can ask him to clarify those matters.

Fr. Dutunge: did you receive the complaint? Will you speak with John? Who will review the correspondence? When can he expect a substantive response?

These are reasonable questions about pastoral responsibility. Answering them would be a meaningful first step toward restoring trust.

What justice should look like

We are calling for a documented, impartial review that gives everyone involved an opportunity to be heard.

The parish should acknowledge the complaint, preserve and examine the relevant correspondence, invite John to describe his experience, and obtain the coordinator’s explanation. If parish leadership’s handling of the complaint is itself in question, the Archdiocese should provide oversight.

John should be offered a way to participate in that process that accommodates his visual impairment and communication needs.

If the review establishes discriminatory treatment or another failure, there should be an apology, appropriate corrective action, and clear measures to prevent repetition. If another explanation emerges, it should be communicated respectfully and supported by evidence.

Accountability requires more than an assurance that everyone is welcome. It requires a process that demonstrates it.

Ask for answers—respectfully

Readers who share these concerns can send one respectful message to Fr. Arsène Dutunge at adutunge@rcav.org, asking him to acknowledge the complaint, arrange a fair review, and ensure John is heard.

A simple request is enough: “Please ensure that the reported concerns about access to the Alpha course receive a prompt, impartial investigation, with appropriate support for the complainant.”

Keep correspondence focused on those requests. Threats, insults, and repeated unwanted messages do nothing to advance justice.

Anyone with firsthand concerns about Fr. Dutunge’s conduct or handling of a complaint can contact the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver at 604-683-0281 and ask where to submit a formal written complaint. Include dates, relevant correspondence, what you personally experienced, and the response you are seeking. Archdiocese contact information

A Catholic community should be able to hear a difficult complaint without turning away from the person making it.

John deserves a hearing. Everyone involved deserves a fair process. Parishioners deserve confidence that concerns about exclusion will be taken seriously.

Fr. Dutunge, we urge you to respond and help establish what happened. The Church’s promise of welcome must reach the person still waiting for an answer.