STOCKTON (CBS13) — There’s more trouble for the Catholic church. A Stockton pool man claims he was fired after a priest sent him sexually explicit text messages. He has now filed a civil lawsuit and wants the priest removed.

The lawsuit was filed Thursday in San Joaquin County

Monsignor Larry McGovern is not just the head of Presentation Church in Stockton, but also the head of a Catholic school. Some parishioners say he’s been a role model to them and the allegations against him are unbelievable.

“I cannot believe it, I cannot believe, there are so many things that I just pray to God that this is not true,” says parishioner Claudia Liborio.

“It’s kind of heartbreaking in a way because you know we all love him, we all care for him and this is the last thing we ever wanted to hear from a person like him,” says Miguel Fajardo whose been going to Presentation Church since he was 8 years ago.

For the past seven years the man who is bringing this lawsuit, a pool maintenance contractor has been servicing the church’s fountains and pool. According to the lawsuit Pastor McGovern would often sunbathe at the home across the street from the parish, where he resides, in revealing bathing suits and would make flirtatious comments.

Attorney John Manly who represents the plaintiff says, “He’s the pool guy, he’s there to clean the pool, he doesn’t want interaction like that with a 70 year old man. He’s a 42 year old married man with children, trying to make a living. ”

Manly claims in late July Monsignor McGovern texted the pool man while he was off the job about some algae found in the pool, then he texted a picture of his genitals with his pants down.

McGovern allegedly wrote “oops, sorry about that. The curse of the Internet. Shame on me what is my penance”

The man wrote back: “I thought you were celibate Monsignor” and the response: “but it is not me – – celibate means not married sometimes I get the wrong images.”

The suit claims the pool man then reported the behavior to Stockton police, an investigation began and days later he was fired

“It’s not ok to retaliate against somebody who complains against sexual misconduct,” says Manly.

“Monsignor Larry either fired him because he reported him, or he fired him because he rebuffed any advance he was making, either way it’s wrong, it violates the law, and it hurts this family.”

Manly says his client has a child at the Catholic school where the priest resides over, and now worries that children could be in danger

“If any principal or any school administrator sent a picture of their penis to a parent they should be fired, not the other way around.”

The diocese of Stockton says it is just learning about the allegations and released this statement Friday:

“In accordance with the Canon Law of the Church, Bishop Stephen Blaire has placed Monsignor McGovern on administrative leave pending a full and complete investigation.”

The Stockton Police department has turned the investigation over to the DAs office to see if any charges will be filed