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Pope Says Vatican Inquiry Into Spanish Bishop Zornoza Will Proceed

The case is the first publicly known Vatican investigation of a Spanish bishop over sexual abuse allegations.

Overview

  • Pope León XIV said Rafael Zornoza remains in office for now and that any consequences will follow the investigation’s outcome.
  • The complaint was admitted by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith and the investigative phase has been assigned to the Roman Rota, which began work in recent weeks.
  • Reporting by El País cites a complaint alleging abuse that began in 1994 when the claimant was 14 and continued into adulthood, when Zornoza was a priest in Getafe.
  • The Diocese of Cádiz and Ceuta called the accusations “very serious and also false,” paused Zornoza’s public agenda, and said he is undergoing treatment for aggressive cancer.
  • Spanish bishops’ leader Luis Argüello emphasized presumption of innocence and said Zornoza’s previously submitted resignation could be accepted soon by the Vatican.