VATICAN CITY
Reuters
By Philip Pullella
VATICAN CITY | Thu Sep 12, 2013
(Reuters) – The Vatican said on Thursday it would cooperate with Dominican Republic authorities investigating the Holy See’s former ambassador on suspicion of pedophilia and denied the envoy had been recalled to protect him from local justice.
Archbishop Jozef Wesolowski, 55, was recalled in August and relieved of his duties after local media accused him of sexual abuse of children.
In the first formal statement on the case, the Vatican said its sex crimes prosecutor had opened an investigation into the allegations.
Cardinal Nicolas Lopez Rodriguez of Santo Domingo personally informed Pope Francis in late July that there had been “serious accusations” against Wesolowski, Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said in the written statement.
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