The Vatican's former nuncio to the Dominican Republic, Poland's ex-Msgr Jozef Wesolowski, was defrocked this week for sexually abusing minors and risks arrest the Vatican said Friday. The ex-nuncio, the first Vatican ambassador to be found guilty of abusing minors, has two months to appeal the verdict.
"All measures suited to the gravity of the case will be taken," the Vatican said, referring to custodial action, after "the relative liberty he enjoyed" while the probe ran its course.
Wesolowski, who will be 66 next month, was called back to Vatican City in late August after the archbishop of Santo Domingo, Cardinal Nicolas Lopez Rodriguez, informed Pope Francis of the allegations against him.
A probe was opened by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the former Holy Inquisition, which handles sex-abuse cases and issued its verdict "in the last few days", the Vatican said Friday.
The Vatican worked with Dominican authorities on the case.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
