Vangheluwe finally dismissed for his past crimes
Pope Francis took the decision Thursday to dismiss from office a Belgian bishop famous for admitting 14 years ago to having sexually abused his nephew without suffering sanction from the Vatican. Roger Vangheluwe, bishop emeritus of Bruges, has long symbolized the hypocrisy and dysfunctions of the Catholic Church in the management of abuse cases. Despite the revelations in 2010, he was able to retire peacefully and his superior, Cardinal Godfried Danneels, advised one of his victims to remain silent until the bishop left.
This decision by the Vatican comes a few months before the pope’s planned visit to Belgium, where the affair could have disrupted events. Vangheluwe, aged 87, shocked the world in 2010 by admitting to having abused his nephew for years. Although he retired prematurely, no additional sanctions were taken against him, illustrating the Holy See’s refusal to punish bishops for proven sexual crimes.
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