VATICAN CITY
Vatican Insider
Vatican Insider interviews Cardinal Velasio De Paolis, a member of the Vatican supreme court and Pontifical Delegate for the Congregation of the Legionaries of Christ
GIACOMO GALEAZZI
VATICAN CITY
“Up until now, in the Church, paedophilia cases were not tried in criminal proceedings but only in disciplinary proceedings. Sex abuse against minors was considered a violation of ecclesiastical laws. Francis’ decision to have Archbishop Wesolowski arrested is a bold and unequivocal one.” Cardinal Velasio De Paolis, Pontifical Delegate for the Congregation of the Legionaries of Christ and a member of the Vatican supreme court, the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, agrees with “Francis’ unprecedented move” because “the impact of the sentence is twofold: it is punitive and an example for the common good.”
What led to this turning point?
“Francis sent out a very clear message regarding the seriousness of sexual abuse. The Pope very rightly responded to the arguments the United Nations raised in relation to the Wesolowski case. He showed the world that in his State, crimes against children are punished in an exemplary way. The house arrest period is 50 days and this can be renewed to another 50.”
Even if the accused is an archbishop?
“Nuncios are citizens of the Vatican City State which gives orders to its Tribunal under the terms of its code. This is the first time this has happened in a paedophilia case. Reducing him to the lay state was not enough: the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith does not put the guilty party in prison, it lets them go unpunished. But the State’s Tribunal also got involved. Having been judicial vicar I can say that the Vatican detention cells are not adequate for individuals to be held here for long periods of time. But the former nuncio is under house arrest anyway. The last person who was held in isolation here was Benedict XVI’s butler, Paolo Gabriele.”
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