A Roman Catholic priest who fought his removal from a Lowell parish because of a decades-old allegation that he sexually abused a child has died at age 70. A notice in the church bulletin at St. Patrick Church in Lowell says the Rev. D. George Spagnolia died on May 6.
A memorial Mass is scheduled Saturday.
The Archdiocese of Boston removed Spagnolia and put him on administrative leave in 2002 after an allegation that he improperly touched a 14-year-old boy twice in 1971.
Spagnolia maintained his innocence. However, he admitted to lying about remaining celibate during an 18-year leave from the priesthood.
Prosecutors closed a review of the 1971 allegation without filing charges because too much time had passed under the statute of limitations.
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