Józef Wesolowski, the former papal nuncio to the Dominican Republic, has been removed from the priesthood. The Vatican explained that after the canonical process, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith determined his expulsion from the 'clerical state.â?
The former nuncio was accused of sexually abusing minors supposedly committed during his stay in the Dominican Republic, between 2008 and 2013.
He has two months to appeal the sentence. Once the canonical sentence is definitive, the criminal proceedings will continue in the civil courts of the Vatican.
The press release also explained that, until now, the former nuncio has been granted a 'relative freedomâ? of movement while awaiting for the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith to ascertain the charges against him.
The Vatican removed Józef Wesolowski from his post in August of last year and opened an investigation after Cardinal Nicolás López Rodríguez, the archbishop of Santo Domingo, informed the Pope of the accusations against the nuncio.
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