Newark archdiocese official resigns following priest's arrest

NEWARK, New Jersey (Reuters) - A leading official from the Catholic archdiocese of Newark has resigned his post as vicar general following the arrest of a priest accused of violating a deal that barred him from interacting with children, the archdiocese said on Saturday.
Monsignor John E. Doran, the No. 2 official within the archdiocese, has stepped down due to "operational failures" and will no longer hold a leadership position, according to letter to parishioners by Archbishop John J. Myers.
The resignation came after Bergen County, New Jersey, prosecutors arrested Father Michael Fugee on Monday on accusations of violating a 2007 judicial order to avoid working with children after he confessed years before to groping a teenage boy, according to court documents.
"The seriousness of the situation with Father Fugee necessitated a thoughtful and effective response," Meyers wrote in the letter posted on the archdiocese website.
"Appointing a new Vicar General will be just one step in a comprehensive plan to review, and where necessary, strengthen our internal protocols and ensure we are doing everything we can to safeguard the children of our community."
The archdiocese said that Doran had signed the 2007 agreement with Bergen County prosecutors that barred Fugee from working with children. Bergen County prosecutors said in a statement he had violated that agreement by attending youth retreats and taking confessions from youngsters.
A spokesman for the archdiocese said Myers would appoint a replacement, but did not give a time frame.