Pope sacks Paraguayan bishop accused of protecting abuser priest

[n2doc]

Source: Todayonline

VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis has dismissed a conservative Paraguayan bishop who was accused of protecting a priest suspected of sexually abusing young people in the United States, the Vatican said on Thursday.

The Argentinian-born pontiff has vowed zero tolerance against Roman Catholic clerics who sexually abuse minors after a series of scandals hit the Church in a number of countries around the world over many years. Last May, Francis called such abuse an "ugly crime" and likened it to "a Satanic mass".

A statement said the pope had removed Bishop Rogelio Ricardo Livieres Plano from his post as head of the diocese of Ciudad del Este and named another bishop to run it as an administrator for the time being.

The pope's sacking of the bishop came after a Vatican investigation of the bishop, the diocese and its seminaries, said the statement, which gave no details.

Read more: http://www.todayonline.com/world/pope-sacks-paraguayan-bishop-accused-protecting-abuser-priest

[mikehiggins]

1. Pray for this Pope

I think he's going to need it.

[whatthehey]

2. good move. actual action for once.

I am somewhat hazy on the details though. Does dismissal of a bishop include laicization so he is no longer considered ordained, or is it simply a removal of his authority for the see?

[Archae]

3. Yet Bishop Finn is still a Bishop.

Even after he was convicted for covering up a pervert priest in Missouri.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Finn_(bishop)#Criminal_conviction_for_failure_to_report_suspected_child_abuse

[rustbeltvoice]

4. The United States has several bishops that should be removed.

Answers that are not so helpful include time. Francis can not correct everything quickly. Also, the United States is different. Even though it is a minority Catholic country, it has many bishops. Also, i believe, the U.S. cadre has greater power than in most countries. I am of the belief that many are in the mode of business management graduates. Other priests and laity are either taught to be awed by their office, or are too fearful. Here in Cleveland, the bishop is a tyrant (amongst other grave failings) and has not been removed (although asked to step down by visiting high ranking prelates).

..and, Yes, Finn should go.

[happyslug]

5. Notice the Pope did NOT technically REPLACED the Bishop....

The reason behind that are Bishops are considered "Princes" of the Church and as such remain Bishops till their die OR resign, They are also "required" to retire at age 70, and almost all do, but it is a "Requirement" that the papacy can NOT enforce.

Thus all the Pope can do is the following:

1. Promote the offender to a Cardinalship, since it is a "promotion" the Bishops fell obligated to take it, but the Cardinalship is tied in with some meaningless and powerless position. Thus such promoted bishop gets to vote for the next Pope, but has no real power. Remember when he was Bishop he and only he can confirm people into the Catholic Faith AND confirm Priests into the Priesthood. Bishops can also FORBID any Priest or Bishop (including the Pope) from coming into his Diocese. These are internal rules within the Church, but as far as the Bishops, Priests and the Pope is concern must be followed. This is the basis of the power of being a bishop.

2. "Remove" the Bishop, appoint someone from within the Diocese to administer the Diocese till the Bishop gets around to resigning. The problem here is the Priests of the Diocese MUST obey their Bishop. Thus if the pope "Removes" the Bishop, the Priests of that Diocese MUST still obey that Bishop. Thus if the Bishop objects to the removal you have a problem. If the Bishop does NOT object not a problem.

Now there are appeal procedures within the Catholic Church (Centered in the Vatican) so the bishops do NOT have complete dictatorial power over their priests but those forms of appeal relate to NEGATIVE actions i.e. a Priest has the right to appeal to the Vatican if he is removed by a Bishop for any reason, but such a Priest can NOT appeal if the Bishop just does nothing when something is required to be done (Thus if one Priest reports on another priest and the Bishop does nothing, there is no appeal to the Vatican on such inaction).

Given the above the inside politics within the Catholic Church of this removal would be interesting to see. I suspect the Collage of Bishops for Paraguay asked the Pope for this action for otherwise it would be easy for the bishop who was removed to refuse to follow the request of his removal. Without the support of the other bishops of Paraguay he and the members of his diocese would be isolated from the rest of the Catholic Church, not only world wide but also in Paraguay. Thus the Pope either did with on the request of those other Bishops OR with their expressed or implied approval.

My question is does this relate to Former President and Former Bishop Fernando Lugo? He had been Bishop of another Diocese but resigned to run for President of Paraguay. Pope Benedict refused to recognize his resignation as bishop, on the grounds Bishops do NOT resign, but after Lugo won the Presidency, Benedict did approve of the resignation (Which was an extraordinary event for it involved a BISHOP such "Laicization" is common for Priests NOT Bishops). Thus it is implication the Pope supported Lugo, even after his impeachment and removal from office (Remember the objection was that Lugo had been a BISHOP and as such should stay within the Church NOT that he would be a bad President).

Interesting, for Paraguay was only separated from the the Diocese of Buenos Aires Argentina in 1927. Thus you have a long history of interaction between the Catholic Churches of both nations. All I can say it is interesting, the actual details I have no knowledge of.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fernando_Lugo

http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/blume.html

Catholic Hierachary site on Diocese of Ciudad del Este, where Bishop Rogelio Ricardo Livieres Plano had been bishop:

http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dcide.html

More on Bishop Rogelio Ricardo Livieres Plano:

http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/blivpl.html

There are 14 Dioceses within Paraguay (15 if you count the Military Diocese):

http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/country/dpy2.html

Asunción is the oldest and the largest Diocese:

http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dasun.html

Two of the Diocese are "Vicariate Apostolic" diocise and come under the Rule of the Pope Directly, but NEITHER are involved with either of the above two Bishops. The other 12 Diocese are normal diocese that come under traditional Catholic Rules for such Diocese.

[Kingofalldems]

6. Good job Francis.