But his case sheds light on what a Philadelphia grand jury has described as an ongoing pattern in which church leaders failed to properly investigate allegations of clerical misconduct.
Although archdiocesan leaders have known about the accusations against Flood since at least 2009, they have never opened their own independent investigation.
"They're only suspending him now because the grand-jury report exposed that they don't take their responsibility to children seriously," said Thomas S. Neuberger, an attorney representing the unnamed, now 48-year-old alleged victim in a civil suit against Flood. "This is just window dressing."
Neuberger declined to name his client, but offered to see if the man would be willing to talk about the case with a reporter. His client had not responded to that request by late Thursday.
A church spokeswoman did not respond to a request for comment on Flood's case. Archdiocesan officials have thus far declined to name or discuss any of the suspended priests.
The monsignor, who could not be reached Thursday, has repeatedly denied the allegations made by Neuberger's client and has openly discussed the case with his parishioners, asking them to pray for him and his accuser.
He has voluntarily agreed to refrain from unsupervised contact with youth until the suit is resolved, according to a 2009 statement.
"I'm a little chagrined that the archdiocese would succumb to pressure from the District Attorney's Office," his attorney James S. Green Sr. said. "I have total sympathy for true victims of abuse by anyone, but I think this action was precipitous and unfortunate and could not be based on anything brought to light so far in the case."
The civil suit - currently making its way through a Delaware Superior Court in Wilmington - stems from Flood's time as a religion teacher at Neumann.
