“Archbishop Jozef Wesolowski defrocked by Vatican for sexually abusing boys” & related article

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Polish-born clergyman was Vatican’s ambassador to the Dominican Republic

CBC News Posted: Jun 27, 2014 6:06 PM ETLast Updated: Jun 27, 2014 6:48 PM ET

Archbishop Jozef Wesolowski was fired from his diplomatic post on Aug. 21 after the archbishop of Santo Domingo told Pope Francis about rumours Wesolowski had sexually abused teenaged boys in the Dominican Republic.

Archbishop Jozef Wesolowski was fired from his diplomatic post on Aug. 21 after the archbishop of Santo Domingo told Pope Francis about rumours Wesolowski had sexually abused teenaged boys in the Dominican Republic. (Manuel Diaz/AP)

The Vatican has defrocked its former ambassador to the Dominican Republic for sexually abusing boys.

It’s the first time a top papal envoy has been convicted of the crime and signals that Pope Francis is serious about imposing “zero tolerance” for abuse, regardless of rank.

The Vatican said Friday that Archbishop Jozef Wesolowski was found guilty by the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and sentenced to the harshest penalty possible against a cleric under canon law: laicization, meaning he can no longer perform priestly duties or present himself as a priest.

Wesolowski has two months to appeal. After the canonical case is finished, he faces a separate criminal trial in the Vatican City state’s tribunal, which could carry a jail term if he is convicted.

POPE/

Pope Francis has promised to take a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to sexual abuse. (Reuters)

The Vatican said it would take “adequate measures” to ensure Wesolowski doesn’t flee pending the outcome of the criminal investigation.

The Vatican has never said how Wesolowski responded to the charges and hasn’t provided contact information for his lawyer.

The case against Wesolowski has been closely watched, given the grave nature of the charges. It has also been a test of Francis’s willingness to sanction even a high-ranking Vatican official for a crime the Holy See has long sought to blame on wayward priests, not direct representatives of the pope.

Francis has told reporters, though, “there were no privileges” for anyone who violated a child and promised “zero tolerance” for abuse at all levels.

Wesolowski not charged in Dominican Republic

The Holy See recalled the Polish-born Wesolowski on Aug. 21, and relieved him of his job after the archbishop of Santo Domingo told Francis about rumours that Wesolowski had sexually abused teenage boys in the Dominican Republic. Prosecutors there say he allegedly paid boys to masturbate.

‘This decision paves the way for a penal sentence, which should condemn him’– Dominican Republic attorney general

Dominican authorities opened an investigation, but never charged him on the grounds that Wesolowski had diplomatic immunity. Poland, too, opened an investigation.

On Friday, the Dominican attorney general, Francisco Dominguez Brito, expressed satisfaction with the canonical verdict.

“This decision paves the way for a penal sentence, which should condemn him,” he said.

Dominican President Danilo Medina said Francis had told him during an audience at the Vatican that Wesolowski would be sanctioned with the toughest penalty available.

Polish prosecutor Katarzyna Calow-Jaszewska said the conviction “doesn’t change the situation in our proceedings for the time being.”

UN cites Wesolowski case while blasting Vatican

Wesolowski’s case had initially raised questions about whether the Vatican, by extracting him from Dominican jurisdiction, was protecting him and placing its own investigations ahead of those in the Caribbean nation.

The case was cited by two UN committees that grilled the Vatican earlier this year on its sex abuse record. But Vatican officials assured committee members that justice would be served.

As a papal diplomat and citizen of the Vatican City State, Wesolowski faces criminal charges by the tribunal of Vatican City, which recently updated its laws to specifically criminalize sex abuse of children. It is not clear, however, if the new law can be applied retroactively.

His case has been particularly delicate because Wesolowski was ordained as both a priest and a bishop by his Polish countryman and former pope, St. John Paul II.

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Polish archbishop defrocked in child abuse case

Polskie Radio

27 June 2014
27.06.2014 16:21

The Vatican has defrocked former papal nuncio to the Dominican Republic Archbishop Jozef Wesolowski over child abuse claims.

Jozef

A statement released by the Vatican clarified that only the first phase of the case has been completed and that “all measures appropriate to the seriousness of the case will be taken against the former nuncio.”

No details were provided by the Vatican’s doctrinal congregation on the first part of the canonical process against Wesolowski.

The former nuncio’s tenure was suspended in August 2013 after allegations emerged that the archbishop had abused boys in the Dominican Republic.

Wesolowski is the highest ranking Church official ever to be investigated for child abuse.

Over the last two years, the Roman Catholic Church in Poland has struggled to cope with a wave of coverage given to cases of paedophilia involving clergyman.

On Friday 21 June, leading members of the Church held a penitential mass in Krakow over the sins of clergymen in the sphere of child abuse. (nh)

A statement released by the Vatican clarified that only the first phase of the case has been completed and that “all measures appropriate to the seriousness of the case will be taken against the former nuncio.”

No details were provided by the Vatican’s doctrinal congregation on the first part of the canonical process against Wesolowski.

The former nuncio’s tenure was suspended in August 2013 after allegations emerged that the archbishop had abused boys in the Dominican Republic.

Wesolowski is the highest ranking Church official ever to be investigated for child abuse.

Over the last two years, the Roman Catholic Church in Poland has struggled to cope with a wave of coverage given to cases of paedophilia involving clergyman.

On Friday 21 June, leading members of the Church held a penitential mass in Krakow over the sins of clergymen in the sphere of child abuse. (nh)

– See more at: http://www.thenews.pl/1/9/Artykul/174922,Polish-archbishop-defrocked-in-child-abuse-case#sthash.ol0FjWBT.dpuf

Polish archbishop defrocked in child abuse case

27.06.2014 16:21
The Vatican has defrocked former papal nuncio to the Dominican Republic Archbishop Jozef Wesolowski over child abuse claims.

 

Jozef

Jozef Wesolowski, former archbishop. Photo: EPA/Orlando Barria

A statement released by the Vatican clarified that only the first phase of the case has been completed and that “all measures appropriate to the seriousness of the case will be taken against the former nuncio.”

No details were provided by the Vatican’s doctrinal congregation on the first part of the canonical process against Wesolowski.

The former nuncio’s tenure was suspended in August 2013 after allegations emerged that the archbishop had abused boys in the Dominican Republic.

Wesolowski is the highest ranking Church official ever to be investigated for child abuse.

Over the last two years, the Roman Catholic Church in Poland has struggled to cope with a wave of coverage given to cases of paedophilia involving clergyman.

On Friday 21 June, leading members of the Church held a penitential mass in Krakow over the sins of clergymen in the sphere of child abuse. (nh)

– See more at: http://www.thenews.pl/1/9/Artykul/174922,Polish-archbishop-defrocked-in-child-abuse-case#sthash.ol0FjWBT.dpuf

Polish archbishop defrocked in child abuse case

27.06.2014 16:21
The Vatican has defrocked former papal nuncio to the Dominican Republic Archbishop Jozef Wesolowski over child abuse claims.

 

Jozef

Jozef Wesolowski, former archbishop. Photo: EPA/Orlando Barria

A statement released by the Vatican clarified that only the first phase of the case has been completed and that “all measures appropriate to the seriousness of the case will be taken against the former nuncio.”

No details were provided by the Vatican’s doctrinal congregation on the first part of the canonical process against Wesolowski.

The former nuncio’s tenure was suspended in August 2013 after allegations emerged that the archbishop had abused boys in the Dominican Republic.

Wesolowski is the highest ranking Church official ever to be investigated for child abuse.

Over the last two years, the Roman Catholic Church in Poland has struggled to cope with a wave of coverage given to cases of paedophilia involving clergyman.

On Friday 21 June, leading members of the Church held a penitential mass in Krakow over the sins of clergymen in the sphere of child abuse. (nh)

– See more at: http://www.thenews.pl/1/9/Artykul/174922,Polish-archbishop-defrocked-in-child-abuse-case#sthash.ol0FjWBT.dpuf

1 Response to “Archbishop Jozef Wesolowski defrocked by Vatican for sexually abusing boys” & related article

  1. Marion says:

    Just found this, Sylvia. Someone else forwarded this to me today.
    The defrocking of old priests is not a punishment, they remain in other high positions in the church. I wonder what Raymond Lahey is up to these days….and all the others.

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