Wrongdoing will Thrive when Wrongdoers are Promoted
Why does wrongdoing thrive in the Catholic hierarchy? Here’s the answer in a nutshell.
Two controversial bishops have recently landed cushy jobs in Rome, showing again that corrupt clerics continue to be protected – and sometimes promoted – which only encourages more wrongdoing.
A German bishop, ousted because of his extravagant spending, is now “a Vatican official,” notes veteran church observer John Allen. He’s Bishop Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst, better known as the “Bishop of Bling.
And Argentinian Bishop Gustavo Zanchetta resigned as head of his Argentinean diocese in 2017 – first, facing financial misconduct charges and later, adult sexual abuse charges.
“Despite that, Francis in 2017 not only brought Zanchetta to Rome but named his now Assessor to the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See (APSA), the Vatican’s financial powerhouse which oversees both the Holy See’s investment portfolio and its real estate holdings in Italy and around the world,” reports Allen.
Until misconduct is punished, misconduct will thrive.
CONTACT: Zach Hiner, Executive Director (517-974-9009, [email protected])
(SNAP, the Survivors Network, has been providing support for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings for 30 years. We have more than 25,000 survivors and supporters in our network. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)