Pope John Paul II this afternoon accepted the resignation of the bishop of the southwestern US city of Tucson amid accustions that he protected priests alleged to have sexually abused minors.
The Vatican statement did not specify the reasons for the resignation of Manuel Moreno, 72, but a Vatican source said he had been accused of shielding priests against whom complaints of sexual abuse of children had been received.
The deputy bishop of Tucson, Arizona, Gerald Frederick Kicanas, 61, was appointed to replace Moreno.
A number of top US Catholic Church leaders have stepped down following allegations they protected priests accused of abusing minors, including archbishops in Boston and Milwaukee.
The bishops of Lexington, in Kentucky, and West Palm Beach, in Florida, have also resigned.
The resignations come amid attempts by victims to obtain compensation through the courts, and a drop in contributions by US Catholics that is causing financial difficulties for several dioceses.
AFP