A Rapid City priest recently tapped by Pope Francis as the next bishop for the Duluth, Minnesota, diocese has resigned after an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor.
Father Michel Mulloy was named by the pope for the Duluth position in June and was scheduled to be ordained and installed as bishop in an October 1st ceremony.
The Vatican announced Monday without details that the pope had accepted the resignation of Mulloy, who had been an administrator in the Rapid City diocese.
A statement from the diocese says it received the accusation of an alleged incident when Father Mulloy was a priest in the diocese during the 1980s last month.
New Rapid City Bishop Peter Muhich then informed law enforcement of the allegations and directed Mulloy to refrain from engaging in ministry.
The diocese immediately commissioned an independent investigation, whose results led the Diocesan Review Board to determine that further investigation was warranted.
Father Mulloy received a summary of the specific allegation against him and resigned as bishop-elect of Duluth, with Pope Francis accepting the resignation.
Bishop Muhich says anyone who believes they have been abused by a member of the clergy or employee of the Rapid City diocese, regardless of when it occurred, is encouraged to report the matter to law enforcement.