Religion
Related: About this forumVatican tribunal convicts former envoy of sex abuse
Source: BBC
Vatican tribunal convicts former envoy of sex abuse
A tribunal in the Vatican has convicted the former papal envoy to the Dominican Republic of sex abuse and stripped him of the priesthood.
Monsignor Jozef Wesolowski, who is originally from Poland, was recalled by the Church last year amid claims that he had abused boys in Santo Domingo.
Wesolowski is the highest-ranking Vatican official to be investigated for sex abuse.
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Read more: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-28061761
cbayer
(146,218 posts)is a good sign.
Hopefully there is more come.
skepticscott
(13,029 posts)that someone who sexually abused children had his priesthood stripped from him as his only punishment. He should have been turned over to the proper local authorities for adjudication of his case, instead of being shielded and given a slap on the wrist.
AtheistCrusader
(33,982 posts)for it.
Oooh they took away his ceremonial title, big fuckin' deal. He should be in a courtroom in Poland, and might face charges in the Dominican Republic too.
cbayer
(146,218 posts)criminal charges and that he could be extradited back the the DR if found guilty.
DR hasn't even filed charges against him yet, though I expect that they will.
The known criminal behavior took place in the DR, not Poland. Poland has opened an investigation but apparently not yet filed charges. The Vatican has to make a decision about where he should be tried.
If he get extradited to Poland, but they can't pin anything on him there, they run the risk that Poland would give him asylum and he would not face the appropriate charges.
It is a big fucking deal. He is locking at serving time. What do you want them to do?
AtheistCrusader
(33,982 posts)And Poland has tracked down and arrested his buddy, Father Wojciech Gil.
I agree he has not been charged in the DR yet. That seems a formality in process at this point.
Extradition refusal:
http://www.thenews.pl/1/10/Artykul/158234,Vatican-refuses-to-extradite-Polish-archbishop-accused-of-child-sex-abuse
Looks like the media is a little bit all over the place on this one.
cbayer
(146,218 posts)anything on a search.
Your link is from January, but I don't see anything about charges.
At any rate, I am glad they are proceeding and keeping good on Francis's statement that these case would be pursued.
okasha
(11,573 posts)is following Francis' own stated guidelines: strip offenders of their priesthood, then turn them over to the civil authorities. There seems to be some confusion about which civil authorities in this case, but given Latin American views on child abuse, the penalties are likely to be more severe in DR.
cbayer
(146,218 posts)I am satisfied with that.
From what I had read, they are planning to have a criminal trial in Vatican City, which I am guessing is a trial under civil authority.
Or am I wrong about that?
I do know that Vatican City has civil laws and a civil police force, but I'm not sure about how the judicial system works.
cbayer
(146,218 posts)Will just pop into the vatican and ask Francis what the plan is.
skepticscott
(13,029 posts)than those of the country where this occurred. Why?
Your presumption that the Vatican is keeping him to ensure that he eventually faces the maximum criminal penalties elsewhere is completely at odds with all of their previous behavior.
Iggo
(47,586 posts)He's is going to be criminally tried now. Was there something else you think they should do?