By Associated Press, 09/12/02

| 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.

PLYMOUTH, Mass. — Police arrested a Roman Catholic priest at his home Thursday and charged him with raping and abusing a child on church property in the town of Rochester.

Rev. John Lyons, 73, pleaded innocent to five counts of rape and abuse of a child during his arraignment in Wareham District Court. He had been placed on administrative leave in May after the Boston Archdiocese learned of the allegation.

Lyons is accused of committing the abuse between 1987 and 1989 on the property of St. Rose of Lima. He has been sued by two former altar boys at a Boston church who claim they were abused by him in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

The archdiocese said in May that the suspension was based on other allegations. Archdiocese spokesman Rev. Christopher Coyne on Thursday referred all questions to the district attorney's office.

Plymouth District Attorney Timothy Cruz said the victim, about 8 or 9 years old at the time of the incidents, was indecently touched and groped and forced into oral sex.

Messages left at Lyons' residence and at his lawyer's office were not immediately returned.

Lyons was ordained in 1955 and had been at St. Rose of Lima since 1986.

The alleged incidents were reported to Cruz's office over a hot line established to report abuse allegations.