Pastor steps down amid abuse charges

NEW YORK, Aug. 4 (UPI) -- The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York has asked the pastor of a Harlem church to step down in the wake of allegations of sexual abuse of a minor.

Monsignor Wallace A. Harris of St. Charles Borromeo won't be permitted to practice as a priest until the archdiocese's Advisory Review Board has had a chance to study the matter, The New York Times reported Monday.

A statement released by the archdiocese said the alleged abuse occurred 20 years ago and that Harris has denied it.

The matter has been turned over to the Manhattan district attorney's along with a second abuse claim the archdiocese received, the Times said.

Harris was the event coordinator for part of Pope Benedict XVI's trip to New York, including a Sunday mass at Yankee Stadium.