Married Priests in Peru Sue Pope for S/ 20 Million

By Diego M. Ortiz
Peru This Week
August 23, 2013

http://www.peruthisweek.com/news-married-priests-in-peru-sue-pope-for-s-20-million-100721

(Photo: El Comercio)

An Association of married priests from Chiclayo, Peru has decided to sue Pope Francis for S/. 20 million, as well as the authorities of the Catholic Church for alleged damages, local news outlets reported.

The “World Association of Married Priests of the Church Reborn in Firm and Happy Union,” which was cited in 2004 by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Chiclayo, is behind the Pontiff lawsuit.

As indicated by El Popular.pe back in 2004, charges of generic falsehood, fraud and illicit association to commit a crime in tort of the society, the State and the Catholic Church of Peru, were filed against this group of priests. As a result, they were asked to cease performing Church Liturgical acts.

But after 8 years of legal fighting, the Civil Court of Chiclayo dismissed the complaint. Now, the organization under the command of the priest Roberto Villanueva Rodriguez, is suing the highest authorities of the clergy, including Pope Francisco, for S/ 20 million.

According to the “Married Priests,” they were victims of persecution by the Catholic Church, and suffered economic losses when they stopped receiving their monthly payments as clergy.

According to El Popular, despite the group’s efforts, the lawsuit was declared inadmissible by the judiciary in Chiclayo because of problems with a few documents. The association will have three days to correct the documents and present them to the court.