He thought they were friends, the Rev. Christopher Wenthe told police.
She thought he was her priest and counselor, the criminal complaint says.
That is the crux of the case against a Twin Cities priest charged with engaging in sexual conduct with a young woman. His attorney defended his actions after a court hearing on Friday, calling it a consensual relationship with a "close friend."
Wearing khaki pants, a button-down shirt and no priestly collar, Wenthe made his first court appearance after his arrest Thursday for third-degree criminal sexual conduct while he was a priest at Nativity of Our Lord Church in St. Paul from 2003 to 2005. Wenthe, 46, went through treatment required by the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, then was returned to active ministry. His lawyer said he will resign his position with the Delano Catholic Community but doesn't plan to resign from the priesthood.
Ramsey County District Judge Rosanne Nathanson ordered him to have no contact with the alleged victim. His next court appearance is set for March 25.
"Having sex with someone who has become a close friend is not illegal, though contrary to Father Wenthe's vows," said his attorney, Paul Engh.
Twin Cities archdiocese officials on Friday again defended their decision not to take the case to police after the woman came to them with allegations against Wenthe in September 2005. They say they did not report it because she was an adult at the time. They did, however, notify trustees of St. Peter's and St. Joseph parishes in Delano, where Wenthe was pastor. that he had been sent to therapy and had been cleared to return to clergy work.
"We can't report it [to police] without her consent because it was an adult woman and she did not want to do that," said archdiocese spokesman Dennis McGrath. "We couldn't countermand her wishes." McGrath said all reports of abuse involving minors reported to the archdiocese are sent to police.