Longtime Syracuse Priest Cleared of Allegations, Reinstated to Oneida County Church, by Elizabeth Doran, Upstate NewYork, December 23, 2016

Longtime Syracuse Priest Cleared of Allegations, Reinstated to Oneida County Church

By Elizabeth Doran
Upstate NewYork
December 23, 2016

http://www.newyorkupstate.com/utica/2016/12/longtime_syracuse_priest_cleared_of_allegations_reinstated_to_oneida_county_chur.html

Rev. Paul Angelicchio (right), conducts a Mass at Holy Family Church in Fairmount in October 2003. This week the Syracuse Catholic Diocese put The Rev. Paul F. Angelicchio, pastor of St. John the Baptist and Transfiguration parish in Rome, on administrative leave as church officials investigate an allegation of abuse involving a minor 27 years ago. (Gary Walts | Syracuse.com, file photo, 2003)

Rev. Paul Angelicchio (right), conducts a Mass at Holy Family Church in Fairmount in October 2003. This week the Syracuse Catholic Diocese put The Rev. Paul F. Angelicchio, pastor of St. John the Baptist and Transfiguration parish in Rome, on administrative leave as church officials investigate an allegation of abuse involving a minor 27 years ago. (Gary Walts | Syracuse.com, file photo, 2003)

The Rev. Paul F. Angelicchio, a priest in the Syracuse area for years before becoming pastor of St. John the Baptist and Transfiguration parish in Rome, has been cleared of an abuse allegation made against him, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse said today.

Angelicchio has been reinstated today after the allegation against him was found to be 'not credible,' the diocese said.

The Diocesan Review Board - made up of four lay professionals, a clergy member and a religious member - who all have extensive backgrounds in areas related to child sexual abuse, cleared the priest, the diocese said.

Father Paul Angelicchio was placed on administrative leave Nov. 21 after an allegation involving abuse of a minor 27 years ago.

Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick told Syracuse.com in November his office found no proof or evidence of wrongdoing, and nothing to back up the claim. Fitzpatrick also said Angelicchio "was not a clear and present danger to any minors."

The Diocese of Syracuse is required to conduct an investigation into any claim of sexual abuse once it has been reviewed by the appropriate 's DA's office, the diocese said.

Angelicchio told parishioners on Nov. 19-20 that he would be taking a leave of absence.

Before coming to Rome in 2011, Angelicchio was pastor of Our Lady of Pompei/St. Peter Church in Syracuse for eight years and also served as pastor of Holy Family Church in Syracuse.

He also was a parish priest at Our Lady of Lourdes Church on Valley Drive in Syracuse during the '80s.

From 1977 to 1999, he served as police chaplain for the city of Syracuse.

Contact: edoran@syracuse.com