EL PAÍS launched an investigation into pedophilia in the Spanish Church in 2018 and did a database updated with all known cases. If you know of any cases that have not seen the light of day, you can write to us at: Abusos@elpais.es. If it is Latin America, the address is: abusesamerica@elpais.es.
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The resignation of the bishop of Cadiz, Rafael Zornoza, canonically investigated for accusations of pedophilia in the 1990s, “could be accepted soon”, Luis Argüello, president of the Spanish Episcopal Conference (EEC), reported in Rome on Monday, as transmitted to them by the Vatican. He did so after leaving the first meeting Pope Leo XIV had with the leaders of the EEC, in which he confirmed that he had addressed the case discovered a week ago by EL PAÍS.
Sources from the Spanish bishops assured last week that Zornoza’s departure was “imminent” and had even set a date for it, last Friday, but time passes differently in the Holy See. Four months have passed since the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith received the complaint and still no measures have been taken to remove the bishop of Cadiz from his position. Argüello also revealed that the canonical process itself, in the hands of the Tribunal de la Rota of the nunciature (the Vatican embassy), has “only been open for 15 days”.
Zornoza, in fact, presented his resignation last year, when he turned 75, following the canonical norm which establishes that at that age one automatically resigns. But it is normal for the Pontiff to leave them in office for a few more years, unless they have health problems or want to send a subtle signal of disapproval for some issue, which many times does not even transcend. Considering the complaint against Zornoza and the scandal that occurred when it came to light, the quickest way to stop it is to execute the resignation that was already on the table. The other way is to remove it as a precaution, which didn’t happen this time either.
The Vatican opened an investigation against Zornoza for an accusation of child abuse in the 1990s, therefore already prescribed in the courts, when he was a priest in Getafe, province of Madrid, and directed the major seminary of the diocese. It is the first time in Spain that the case of a bishop being canonically investigated for an alleged case of pedophilia is known, and it is the first time, as far as we know, that the Vatican has removed one for this reason.
The bishop of Cadiz announced on Monday, after the news was published, that the accusations were false and that he would suspend his agenda “to clarify the facts.” He also reportedly did it to treat cancer, an unknown detail he revealed for the first time. Argüello reiterated in Rome on Monday that both the rights of the victim and the presumption of innocence of the accused are being defended.
(Latest news. There will be an update soon)
