A Roman Catholic Church in New Fairfield has removed a pastor who is accused of sexually harassing a former female church employee.
Monsignor Martin Ryan, left his post as pastor of St. Edward the Confessor Church on May 5, the Connecticut Post reports.
At the time, the diocese told the Post he had left to address personal issues, but now, they say he was removed because of the harassment allegations.
Ryan had been with the church since 1992.
A 49-year-old woman, whose name was not released, went to the diocese in March and said Ryan touched her inappropriately on several occasions and sent her inappropriate emails, the Post reports.
She claims the diocese did not remove Ryan right away and then offered to have him apologize to her.
"They fully intended to sweep the whole thing under the rug," she told the Post. "If the diocese had come forward and said `we accept what you say and we are taking immediate action,' I wouldn't be speaking to you now," she said.
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The diocese disputes that they showed indifference to the woman's allegations and said they went as far as to arrange a meeting between the two and even held a sexual harassment workshop.
The Associated Press was not able to reach Ryan on Thursday. A phone listing for him was not in service.
