PITTSBURGH — Bishop David Zubik of the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh said this morning that an accusation of improper conduct is false.

A former student made the accusation in August after the man’s request to volunteer in the Diocese was rejected because of an alleged police record, Zubik said at a news conference.

After the rejection, the man claimed that when he was a student at a Catholic High School in the 1980s, Zubik tried to forcibly kiss him.

Zubik says no such behavior occurred, and he called the accusation false and outrageous.

The matter has been referred to local church authorities, the Beaver County District Attorney, and the Vatican, Zubik says.

Zubik says he’ll continue his day-to-day work, and asked for prayers for the accuser and himself.