US priests suspended over sex claims
Six priests have been asked to leave their assignments by the Archdiocese of New York over past allegations of sexual misconduct.
The move comes less than a week after the archdiocese said it had given the Manhattan district attorney’s office a list of cases involving priests who have been accused of sexual misconduct with minors.
Archdiocese spokesman Joseph Zwilling said worshippers from parishes where priests were asked to step down were notified by letter. He said information about the six men was forwarded to District Attorney Robert Morgenthau.
The archdiocese did not release the names of the priests because not all the allegations had been substantiated, Zwilling said.
‘‘The priests in question have been informed that they are not to present themselves as priests or exercise their priestly ministry publicly at least until the matter is further clarified or resolved,’’ he said.
With 2.4 million members, the New York archdiocese is the third largest in the United States.
The Catholic Church has been rocked in recent months by accusations around the country of sexual misconduct by priests.
New York’s Cardinal Edward Egan has been accused of helping to hide such cases when he was bishop of Bridgeport, Connecticut. Egan has said he handled the cases appropriately.
