Please help me determine

Keep with your instincts and make sure your daughter is never alone with him. If he puts his hands on her again I suggest you tell him that is not a family value and would appreciate his not doing anything like that again. Be gracious but clear.

John
NZ

Good advice. Even a Godly man should not be making gestures toward a female like this, though it could be possible he is just a lonely old man who loves children and your daughter may remind him of one he lost in life --who knows, but be careful.

- 1 Watchman

Better safe than sorry I would say. But please be tactful. Maybe he misses his daughter or grandchild, or maybe he regrets that he never had children... Maybe you could invite him for tea and learn more about him?

A mother should always trust her instincts when it tells you something is not right

vigilantsoul said:

II know this gentlemen from our parish and he is very dear friend, though I do not know him personally. He gives me a divine mercy calendar each December for the new year.
He once asked my daughter to go with him to go and get this calendar from his home around the corner, I said no. It was my instincts as a mother of a child.
My husband doesn’t help matters either, by making me even more paranoid and says he would not matter who the person was, he would never trust a man alone with his daughter My husband no longer comes to mass with me, so I look now, like I could be single, but I’m not.. I know this man from church is very besotted with my girl, he is 79. She is 13.
I was talking with him just before Christmas and it was cold outside and my daughter was shivering and he places his hands in vertical position on my girl’s shoulder. Would you ever physically place your hands on a child even if on an innocent place on the body?
I have the nature of wanting to be wrong and that could be my downfall.

I don’t know why he lives alone and why he is not with his wife?

He is very holy person and practically lives for being active in the church.

How can I trust and nuture my instincts. I don’t always like my gut instinct for want of being too paranoid.

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If I was in your spot, I would get her as far away from him as possible. Even to the point of not letting him see her, or vice-versa. I have been in the ministry for 20 years, and I have been involved in many situations, and you would not believe what goes on with pastors, deacons, etc. "Godly men" that has never dealt with their sexual sins.
In summary, that is not a paranoia, get her AWAY FROM HIM.

Hope that helps!