Dominican Republic: Prosecutors Find Archbishop Sexually Abused Minors

Lez Get Real
November 29, 2013

http://lezgetreal.com/2013/11/dominican-republic-prosecutors-find-archbishop-sexually-abused-minors/

Archbishop Jozef Wesolowski

Prosecutors in the Dominican Republic say that that the former apostolic nuncio to that country, Archbishop Jozef Wesolowski, is guilty of molesting at least five boys.

Wesolowski was relieved of his duties and recalled to Rome in August, after Church leaders in the Dominican Republic informed Pope Francis that they had uncovered evidence of sexual abuse by the papal representative. The Vatican turned over the evidence to the Dominican government, and has pledged to cooperate with prosecutors there and indeed, Dominican authorities report that the Vatican and church officials were fully cooperative in their investigation.

The Dominican prosecutors, in turn, report that they have sent the final results of their investigation to the Vatican, including testimony from five young men who say they were molested, and from a deacon who admitted to having relations with the former nuncio. The also say that the archbishop bought and used cocaine.

They will now have to determine if they will charge Wesolowski with child sexual abuse and other crimes.

A Vatican spokesman has said that the it is willing to hand over Wesolowski to civil authorities in the Dominican Republic if requested to do so. However, Wesolowski’s whereabouts have been unknown since the Vatican removed him as apostolic nuncio Aug. 21 after the allegations against him came to light.

In September, prosecutors in Wesolowski’s native Poland also asked their Dominican counterparts to provide them with information about their investigation against Wesolowski, trying to ascertain if they may have turned up any evidence of abuse committed by Wesolowski in Poland.