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	Randolph Priest Denies Sex Misconduct Allegation Associated Press State & Local Wire May 27, 2002 The priest known locally as "Father John" said Sunday that he was one of the Vermont priests placed on leave while the state investigates accusations of sexual misconduct. The Rev. John Milanese of the Sts. Donatian and Rogatian Church said Bishop Kenneth Angell called him May 13 to tell him that an accusation was being forwarded to the Vermont Attorney Generals Office. "When I heard it, I was sick, I was devastated," Milanese said in an interview Sunday. "I've been a priest for 28 years, and I've never had a complaint against me." "I told the bishop I never touched that kid, I never touched any kid, as God is my judge." Milanese and five other priests across the state were put on leave Friday while the attorney general investigates allegations against them. Neither the diocese nor the Attorney General's Office has released the names of the priests, but the Rev. James McShane of Rutland and the Rev. Donal Ward of Vergennes had confirmed that they were among the six. Milanese said Sunday he also was one of the six. Milanese, who started his career at Christ the King Church in Rutland, said the accusation against him was made only recently. He was told the alleged incident occurred 15 or 16 years ago, he said, but no complaint was filed until after the church abuse scandal broke in Boston. According to the Milanese, his accuser was around 8 years old when he was a priest at St. Mary's Church in Middlebury in the mid-1980s. The boy lived in Cornwall then, he said. His accuser has "a long litany of problems, poor fellow. He's in jail," Milanese said. "I tried my best to help him when he was younger and God knows I did my best. There was never anything inappropriate in that time." Milanese offered to take a polygraph test, he said, and passed it last Tuesday "with flying colors ... which exonerated me." "One allegation, that's it. One allegation. ... I hope now that (the polygraph results) will assist the state in clearing my name," Milanese said. "When you take my wallet, you take little. But when you take my good name, I have nothing left." Although he said he is confident the state will clear him of any wrongdoing sooner or later, he said he doesn't have any delusions about what the accusation will do to his reputation. "You always have that cloud hanging over your head that you've been accused," he said, adding that his 85-year-old mother is having a difficult time dealing with the situation. "False accusations can ruin a person for life. It's not only my job, it's everything I believe in, the church I've loved and dedicated my life to."
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