ITALY
The Christian Times
November 27, 2017
By Jardine Malado
Catholic officials in Italy are threatening to file criminal defamation charges against former altar boys after they accused an older seminarian of sexually assaulting them while living in the Vatican.
The Associated Press (AP) reported that the accusations involve a former seminarian who is now serving as a priest in the diocese of Como and a member of the Don Folci association, which runs the St. Pius X preseminary in a palazzo just steps away from where Pope Francis lives.
An ex-student, identified only as “Marco,” claimed that the seminarian would come into his room at night demanding oral sex, beginning when was only 13 years old and continuing until he reached the age of 18.
In an interview with reporter Gaetano Pecoraro, Marco said that the seminarian was a year older than him and held a position of authority over other students.
Marco’s roommate, Kamil Jarzembowski, claimed to have witnessed dozens of such incidents and had complained about them to seminary officials, before bringing it to the attention of cardinals, and ultimately Pope Francis in 2014.
Church officials said that the claims have been proven to be false following internal church investigations, although the boys in question were initially not interviewed.
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