ALLEGEDLY GAY BISHOP RESIGNS AFTER ACCUSATIONS OF PROTECTING SEX ABUSERS

By Richard Ducayne
Church Militant
July 6, 2016

http://www.churchmilitant.com/news/article/allegedly-gay-bishop-resigns-after-accusations-of-protecting-pedophiles

VATICAN CITY (ChurchMilitant.com) - A Brazilian archbishop accused of shielding sexually abusive priests has resigned. Among other things, he has also allegedly been involved in a homosexual relationship with an 18-year-old. Faithful Catholics, however, are claiming this orthodox bishop is being set up by liberals within the Church.

Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Abp. Aldo di Cillo Pagotto of Paraiba Wednesday under canon 401 §2 of the Catholic Code of Canon Law, which states, "A diocesan bishop who has become less able to fulfill his office because of ill health or some other grave cause is earnestly requested to present his resignation from office."

Pagotto, however, is known to be orthodox. His Excellency was one of the co-authors of the book "Preferential Option for the Family — 100 Questions and Answers Relating to the Synod," which defended true marriage. The bishop teamed up with well-known orthodox bishops Robert Vasa and Athanasius Schneider to release the book before last year's Synod on the Family in order to counteract the liberal faction pushing Communion for the divorced and remarried.

Church Militant was contacted by Catholics in Brazil who said there is more to the story than meets the eye, and that the "circumstances of his resignation are quite odd." Some even speculate he's being forced to resign in part for his staunch opposition to communist factions in Brazil, and that the accusations are manufactured by his enemies. 

Pagotto, who is 66 years old, allegedly allowed priests and seminarians into his diocese who had been accused of sex abuse after they had been expelled by other bishops from other dioceses. He was also blamed for refusing to discuss the issue of sex abuse in the Church.

Pagotto released a letter explaining his resignation.

"I accepted priests and seminarians in order to offer them new chances in life," he said. "Among others, some graduates [were] later suspected of committing serious defections, contrary to the competence required in the Ministry. I made mistakes by trusting others, a naïve mercy ... ."

The Vatican gave few details of the resignation. "Pope Francis accepted the resignation from the pastoral governance of the Archdiocese of Paraíba (Brazil), presented by Mons. Aldo di Cillo Pagotto, SSS, in accordance with can. 401 §2 of the Code of Canon Law," read the official statement on the Vatican website.

The Vatican didn't give a specific reason for His Excellency's resignation, but Pope Francis said back in June that bishops who are guilty of negligence in child abuse could now be dismissed from office. Pagotto had been banned by the Vatican from ordaining new deacons and priests or allowing new seminarians until the Vatican had concluded its investigation.

Pope Francis made the issue of clerical sex abuse front and center when, in June, he released a papal decree announcing that any bishop who covers up for sex-abusing priests would be forced to resign due to "serious reasons." The decree will take effect in September.