The Fifth Avenue parish's senior warden, William Wright II, announced the diocese's decision at the church's Sunday morning service May 20.

"The matter is now formally closed," Wright said. A New York Sun article quoted from a recording of Wright's remarks in which he said the diocese's Standing Committee had informed the parish last week that it has dismissed the complaint.

In December, a small group of current and former parishioners accused Mead of using parish money to buy personal items including alcohol and cat litter, and to fly first-class to Paris to fire the headmaster of the church's choir school who was vacationing in France, the Sun reported.

An attorney for Mead and the parish told the paper that a forensic accounting of the church's funds rebutted the charges of financial impropriety.