Vatican opens preliminary investigation into sexual abuse allegations against Morocco archbishop
The archbishop has denied the allegations and stepped out of public ministry as the investigation proceeds.
The Vatican has opened a preliminary investigation into allegations of sexual abuse brought by several women against Cardinal Cristóbal López Romero, the archbishop of Rabat, the capital of Morocco, according to a July 7 Morocco World News report.
The 74-year-old Spanish cardinal has denied the allegations, which at least five women have brought against him, according to Morocco World News. The outlet reports that Cardinal López Romero told Agence France-Presse (AFP) in a statement that he will fully cooperate with his ecclesiastical superiors in the investigation and that he had “committed neither aggression, nor violence, nor sexual harassment.”
“As we conclude a rich pastoral year, our Church in Rabat is facing a difficult situation,” he said in a July 6 statement to his archdiocese, according to an English translation. “I have been accused of inappropriate behavior towards adult women.”
The cardinal announced in the statement that he is stepping away from public ministry as the investigation proceeds. He said that during this time, he will not preside over any public celebrations or participate in any pastoral activities and the vicar general is the point of contact for pastoral matters. He said he is cooperating with the relevant Church authorities in Rome who are conducting the investigation.
“This event affects us all deeply,” he said. “As Archbishop, I am fully aware of the difficulties this causes and the legitimate questions it may raise for everyone. Therefore, I want the members of the diocesan community to be informed immediately.”
The cardinal encouraged anyone wanting to discuss the statement to reach out to their parish priests or the diocesan Abuse Prevention Service’s listening unit. He asked for everyone to pray in the meantime for each other, the Church, him, and those suffering due to the situation.
“Our diocesan Church is alive; let us continue, with confidence, to nourish it with the spirit of the Gospel. Let us remain united and allow life with Christ to fill us and drive us forward — for that is what matters most,” he concluded.
According to Morocco World News, the accusations “came to light through an investigation” conducted by AFP, which interviewed “a retired woman active within the church who reported repeated sexual assaults but did not authorize the agency to disclose the details of her testimony at this stage.” AFP also reviewed another woman’s written testimony submitted to the Vatican embassy in Morocco that accused Cardinal López Romero of “physical gestures” that she saw as inappropriate. Morocco World News reported that she accused him of “particularly forceful and prolonged embraces” and accused him of attempting to kiss her, which she said she escaped “with great difficulty,” according to the AFP review of the testimony.
Morocco World News also reported that AFP was told by a source in the diocese that at least three other women reported “similar incidents.”
FreeMalaysiaToday reports that no complaint about the cardinal has been filed with Moroccan authorities.
