The Vatican is to excommunicate an Italian archbishop accused of failing to recognise the Pope’s authority and calling for his resignation over the alleged “cover-up” of a case involving a former cardinal.
The Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith announced on Friday the excommunication of Italian Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, accused of schism, attacks on the Pope and failure to recognize Francis’ authority.
“His public statements, his Refusal to recognize and submit to the Pope., to communion with the members of the Church and to the legitimacy of the authority of the Second Vatican Council”the Dicastery said in a statement, declaring “Monsignor” guilty of the crime of schism.
Schism is characterized by a division between people, usually belonging to a religious organization, movement or denomination.
In 2018, Viganò called for Francis to resign over the alleged “cover-up” of the case involving former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, whom the Pope later dismissed over allegations of sexual assault.
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Viganò is also one of the Catholic conservatives who criticized Francis for opening the Church to homosexuals and remarried divorcees.
Viganò, 83, was a representative of the most conservative sector of the Catholic Church and was appointed archbishop in 1992 by Pope John Paul II.
Subsequently, among other positions, he was apostolic nuncio (ambassador) in Nigeria until 1998 and also in the United States between 2011 and 2016.
Source: Observadora
