to a psychiatric evaluation. In April 1998, a 53 year old man informed a priest and Archbishop John C. Favalora that Symons had sexually abused him when he was an altar server decades earlier. When confronted about the allegations, Symons admitted his guilt. The Vatican immediately asked Bishop Robert N. Lynch of the Diocese of St. Petersburg to hear Symons' confession. During that session, Symons admitted that he had abused four other boys. He also said that he had confessed the abuses to a priest at the time, but the priest simply told Symons to avoid alcohol and remain chaste. According to Lynch, the molestations all took place in the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee. Resignation and legacy On June 2, 1998, Lynch announced that John Paul II had accepted Symons' resignation as bishop of the Diocese of Palm Beach and named Lynch as apostolic administrator of the diocese. Symons issued a written statement that said: After his resignation, Symons was to be sent away for treatment and counseling. On July 30, 1998, the St. Petersburg Times reported that Symons’ accuser had first complained to the church about Symons in 1995. Bishop John M. Smith, then bishop of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee, brokered a meeting between Symons and his accuser. In the meeting, Symons admitted his guilt. However, he denied molesting other youths (which he admitting doing later in 1998) and promised to get counseling, which he never did until after his resignation. References External links Roman Catholic Diocese of Palm Beach Official Site 1932 births Living people 20th-century Roman Catholic bishops in the United States Catholic Church sexual abuse scandals in the United States People from Marquette County, Michigan Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint Augustine Roman Catholic bishops of Palm Beach Roman Catholic bishops of Pensacola–Tallahassee Catholics from Michigan