PHILADELPHIA (PA)
Philadelphia Inquirer
JEREMY ROEBUCK, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
LAST UPDATED: Sunday, December 15, 2013
The Archdiocese of Philadelphia announced Sunday the suspension of a priest who it had allowed to continue working for nearly a year after multiple accusers alleged he had sexually abused them.
It was only after “multiple, new allegations” surfaced within the last two months against the Rev. John P. Paul, formerly of Our Lady of Calvary Parish in Northeast Philadelphia, that church officials decided to place him on administrative leave last week.
As has been its practice, the archdiocese declined Sunday to release any details about either the old or new allegations against Paul except to say that in all cases his accusers said they were abused more than 30 years ago.
Paul, 67, could not be reached for comment Sunday.
The news of Paul’s suspension came a day after parishioners across the region began learning the fates of seven other previously suspended priests who faced investigation by an archdiocesan review board into claims they either sexually abused or acted inappropriately around minors.
But unlike Paul, they were all suspended prior to a full vetting of the accusations lodged against them.
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