Father Bill Langlois, 68, is taking time away from the St. Patrick’s/St. Anthony’s Parish in Grand Haven for “prayer, reflection and counseling,” said Carl Apple, spokesman for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids.

Apple declined to say where Langlois was headed, only that he would be gone for six months.

“He didn’t do anything illegal,” Apple said. “There’s no criminal activity of any kind.”

Apple said the reason the relationship is called inappropriate is because Langlois took a vow of celibacy when he entered the priesthood.

“Priests lead a chaste life,” he said.

Father Philip Shangraw will be the administer of the parish during Langlois’ absence.

Apple emphasized that Langlois, who has been at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church since 1996, will be back.

“He’s very well liked at the parish,” Apple said. “Everyone is hoping this will be a leave of only six months.”

Langlois was last in the news in May 2012 when it was announced his practice of hugging children during church services was being stopped. Apple said the Catholic Church had suffered an abuse crisis for several years prior and officials decided to end the practice because of the appearance, not because of any allegations of inappropriate touching.

“We’re trying to move past all of that and heal,” Apple said.