The Archdiocese of New York said last night that six priests who had been named in allegations of sexual
misconduct have been "asked to leave their current assignments" and "are not to represent themselves as priests."

The announcement by the archdiocese came four days after its spokesman, Joseph G. Zwilling, said that
church officials had turned over to the Manhattan district attorney a list of all its priests who had been
accused of sexual abuse of minors in the past.

Church officials did not publicly identify the six priests who it said had been instructed to leave their current
assignments, nor say where they were working in the archdiocese, which includes Manhattan, the Bronx,
Staten Island and seven counties north of New York City.

It was unclear yesterday whether the six priests included one in Westchester County, who was reported
yesterday to have been replaced. According to The Journal News, parishioners at Holy Name of Mary
Church in Croton-on-Hudson were informed Saturday night that the priest, the Rev. Kenneth Jesselli, was
being removed because of "an allegation of inappropriate behavior from his past."

Mr. Zwilling said that all six priests had been included on a list turned over to the district attorney, Robert
M. Morgenthau, on Tuesday. A law enforcement official said on Wednesday that the list included about
three dozen priests, many of whom have left the priesthood.

"The Archdiocese of New York today announced that six priests have been asked to leave their current
archdiocesan assignments due to an allegation of sexual misconduct from their past," said a statement Mr.
Zwilling sent to reporters yesterday by e-mail.

"Information concerning these priests was included in the information forwarded earlier this week" to Mr.
Morgenthau, the statement said. It did not indicate what, if any, new assignments the six priests had
received within the church.

"The priests in question have been informed that they are not to present themselves as priests or exercise
their priestly ministry publicly at least until the matter is further clarified or resolved," the statement said.
The archdiocesan sanction means that the priests cannot say public Mass or preside at weddings,
confirmations or other church ceremonies.

Mr. Zwilling said some, but not all, of the six priests were being removed from parish assignments.
Others, he said, were working in administrative positions or other jobs outside the parishes.
He would not comment on the nature of the allegations. He also would not say when or where the
misconduct was alleged to have taken place.

Parishioners who had been served by the affected priests were told yesterday that clergy members at their
parishes would change, Mr. Zwilling said. Priests were assigned to replace the clergymen that were
removed, and sent introductory letters to their new parishes yesterday.

"We wanted people in the parishes to be informed of this before they read about it in the newspaper," he
said. Mr. Zwilling said he did not know if criminal charges were planned against any of the six.

"That is entirely in the hands of the district attorney," Mr. Zwilling said. Barbara Thompson, a spokeswoman
for Mr. Morgenthau, declined comment last night. "We will conduct our own review," she said.

In Croton-on-Hudson, parishioners at Holy Name of Mary Church received word of Father Jesselli's
removal in a letter, a copy of which The Journal News said it had obtained.

"We are sorry that this action is necessary, and pray that this will not cause you and the parish further pain,"
The Journal News quoted the letter as saying.

But the disruption in its clergy came to a parish already reeling from allegations of sexual misconduct by
another priest.

Father Jesselli replaced the Rev. Gennaro Gentile, who had been charged in the 1990's with improperly
touching boys. Father Gentile, named in a lawsuit by one family, left the parish in 2000 and has since been
working in an administrative post, dealing with marriage annulments.