By Ron DePasquale, Associated Press, 04/26/02

| Complete coverage |  AG'S REPORT Attorney General Thomas F. Reilly released the results of a 16-month investigation into clergy sex abuse in the Boston archdiocese. Download report [PDF, 1.4 MB] (File requires Adobe Acrobat)  TODAY'S GLOBE A new leader reaches out 3 faces in crowd bound in hopeh At BC, students watch with awe O'Malley's homily reveals frank man Near cathedral, voices of protest 'Good priests' moved to tears Text of Archbishop O'Malley's homily Sandwiches, chips were bill of fare An angry protest, and prayers  GRAPHICS The moment of installation Viewer's guide Ceremony TV coverage  Processional O'Malley's vestments O'Malley's coat of arms Cathedral of the Holy Cross  REALVIDEO | NECN.com | Help with video | O'Malley to be installed today Great expectations of O'Malley Video clips require RealPlayer and Windows 98 or higher.  INTERACTIVE FEATURE An interactive timeline of the developing church crisis, featuring photos and audio.   View timeline  IN-DEPTH Boston's new archbishop Bishop Sean Patrick O'Malley has been chosen to succeed Cardinal Law as leader of the archdiocese. Reaction to O'Malley appointment Accused priests are vindicated Three priests have been exonerated after being suspended from their posts over abuse allegations.  CARDINAL BERNARD LAW Coverage of his resignation Career timeline: Priest to cardinal Changing statements on abuse Coverage of his tenure in Boston Photos: Law through the years Boston.com readers' comments  CONTACT SPOTLIGHT If you have information on child abuse by priests, call (617) 929-3208 Or leave a confidential message at this number (617) 929-7483 The Spotlight Team e-mail address is spotlight@globe.com.

BOSTON -- A pastor, vicar and former Archdiocese of Boston vice chancellor facing allegations that he molested three teen-age boys offered his resignation in a letter publicized Friday.

Msgr. Frederick J. Ryan, pastor of St. Joseph's in Kingston, told the archdiocese and his parish of his resignation in a letter sent earlier this week. Ryan also led the Plymouth vicariate, which includes 16 parishes.

"He does so because he can't deal with the allegations and serve as pastor at the same time," said the Rev. Christopher Coyne, a spokesman for the archdiocese. "He felt it would be important for the parish to be able to move on."

Calls to St. Joseph's were not immediately returned.

Ryan had been placed on administrative leave while the church investigated the claims against him, which date to the 1970s and '80s.

Garry Garland, a former sports star at Catholic Memorial High School, where Ryan served as chaplain, became the first plaintiff to file suit against Ryan last month. Garland was later arrested while attempting to meet Ryan at his home.

In the suit, Garland says Ryan gave him wine at a Boston restaurant, took several nude photographs of him in the chancery, and performed oral sex on him.

Police said they found a butcher knife in Garland's car on March 1, when the Hanover man drove to Ryan's Everett residence to confront him. Garland has said the knife was a gift for his wife.

In another lawsuit, David E. Carney of Boston alleged that Ryan sexually abused him twice at the archdiocese chancery 20 years ago.

Carney also claims that Ryan drove Carney and a friend of Carney's to a Cranston, R.I., motel where Ryan plied the boys with liquor and sexually molested them.

The parents of the late Daniel O'Loughlin, who was an altar boy in Boston in 1970, also have accused Ryan of sexual abusing their son. O'Loughlin died at age 20 in a police chase in 1977.

Ryan is the highest-ranking, living church official to be accused of child molestation. Garland also alleges he was fondled by the late Cardinal Humberto Medeiros at the chancery.