Cardinal Nicolas Lopez Rodriguez, head of the Roman Catholic Church in the Dominican Republic, issued a statement yesterday, Thursday 5 September urging the Dominican judiciary to act in the cases of priests accused of misconduct in the country. No charges have been pressed in the pedophilia scandal involving former Holy See ambassador to the Dominican Republic Josef Wesolowski. An arrest warrant, nevertheless, was issued for his compatriot, Polish priest Father Wojciech of Juncalito, Santiago.
The Cardinal himself has not been available for comment on the recent cases of priests accused of pedophilia, including that of former representative of the Holy See in the Dominican Republic, Papal Nuncio Josef Wesolowski.
In the statement issued by the Cardinal read yesterday at a press conference headed by priests Manuel Ruiz, Carmelo Santana, Manuel Ruiz and Joaquin Dominguez as spokesmen for the Catholic Church, the Cardinal blamed the media for degrading the Catholic Church “as if it was the only institution in which these human realities happen.” The Cardinal said that the Church needed to “humbly recognize that we are in a situation of concern and embarrassment for the sons and daughters of the Catholic Church” and asked for forgiveness. “What we have all seen has no justification,” reads the statement.
Nevertheless, the Cardinal did not specify names in the statement. He calls on the Dominican justice system to act firmly and with clarity after very serious investigations and impose the penalties established in the Penal Code. Both Wesolowski and Wojciech are believed to have left the country despite their leaving no record of departure by air. “Whoever has done wrong must face the consequences of his acts responsibly,” reads the statement.
In the statement that was read by the priests today, Friday 6 September, the Cardinal says he has been urged to speak up by fellow Catholics on what he describes as a situation of “confusion and discredit.” He said the situation is worsened by the media that has been encouraging intrigue against the priests who have been accused of sexual abuse against minors. The spokesmen for the church said that the priests are innocent unless proven the contrary in justice. The priests highlighted the fact that Attorney General Francisco Dominguez Brito has stated that there are only rumors.
On Tuesday, 3 September Monsignor Agripino Nunez Collado had been clear in his comments that Papal Nuncio Jesof Wesolowski was removed for pedophilia.
But during the press conference with priests from the Archdiocese of Santo Domingo, Father Jose Joaquin Dominguez Urena said that Nunez was only giving his personal opinion. During the press conference, he said that Monsignor Nunez Collado was not entitled to speak on behalf of the Catholic Church as he does not represent any of the 11 Catholic Church dioceses in the country. Nunez is the rector of the PUCMM, the largest Dominican private university.
Instead, Father Ruiz described the announcement that Wesolowski is under investigation by the Vatican as routine and would not give reasons for the papal nuncio leaving his post. Ruiz, nevertheless, stated that the priests’ performance and behavior are constantly monitored. “When I started in the seminary some 30 years ago, a report was issued about me for my superior every year, and this is how they evaluated the good and the bad, and those authorities all throughout my life know what I do year by year, and in that context decisions can be taken and it does not have to be criminal, that is routine,” he said.
Commenting on the case, Barbara Dorris, outreach director for the US-based Survivors Network of people abused by priests was critical of the way the Vatican was handling the case: “Like all of his predecessors, Pope Francis is acting belatedly, secretively and recklessly,” she said, on Thursday, 5 September. “Catholic officials act only when forced to do so by media pressure,” she said in a statement received by AFP.
The cases against the priests were revealed after investigative journalism reports carried the story.
Read the Cardinal Lopez Rodriguez statement here:
http://goo.gl/3fdY7l
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