July 06, 2005

Accused priest was teaching in N.J.

PENNSYLVANIA
phillyburbs.com

By HARRY YANOSHAK
Bucks County Courier Times
A Catholic priest who is named in a child sexual abuse lawsuit quit teaching ethics Tuesday at Gloucester County College.

The Rev. David Sicoli's decision to step down was made a few hours after the Courier Times informed the New Jersey school about the lawsuit.

Sicoli, the former assistant pastor at Immaculate Conception BVM Church in Bristol Township, taught ethics part time at the college in Sewell. He taught one class in the spring and had been scheduled to teach another this fall, school supervisor Carol Kebles said.

"We had no idea," she said of the lawsuit.

Kebles referred additional questions to Nick Burzichelli, the college's vice president of human resources.

Burzichelli confirmed the college learned of the allegations Tuesday and informed Liberal Arts Department Dean Ann Wilcox. She then contacted Sicoli, who told her he wouldn't return in the fall, Burzichelli said.

Posted by kshaw at July 6, 2005 08:49 AM