Breakaway Opus Dei Bishop Removed by Pope
By Nicole Winfield
Pope Francis on Thursday forcibly removed a conservative Paraguayan bishop who had promoted a priest accused of inappropriate sexual behaviour and clashed with his fellow bishops on ideological grounds. The removal of Bishop Rogelio Ricardo Livieres Plano, a member of the conservative Opus Dei movement, marks the second time Francis has kicked out a conservative bishop for the sake of keeping peace among the faithful and unity among bishops. In March, he ousted the “bling bishop” of Limburg, Germany, whose $43-million new residence complex caused an uproar among the faithful. Livieres was named bishop of Ciudad del Este in 2004 and immediately disturbed other more progressive bishops in Paraguay by opening his own seminary, following a more orthodox line than the main seminary in the capital, Asuncion. Paraguay’s bishops are known for their progressive bent in a poor country where liberation theology found fertile ground. Livieres also infuriated advocates for victims of sexual abuse by taking in and promoting an Argentine priest, the Rev. Carlos Urrutigoity, whose former superior in the United States had reported was a “serious threat to young people.” Urrutigoity has denied allegations of impropriety, has never been charged and has not been accused of sexually abusing minors. In 2004, though, the diocese of Scranton, Pennsylvania, settled a lawsuit against him, another priest and the diocese for $400,000. The suit had alleged the two men engaged in a pattern of sexual misconduct, the GlobalPost has reported. Earlier this year, the Vatican sent a cardinal to investigate problems in the Paraguayan diocese, particularly concerning the seminary. The investigator reported back to Francis, and Livieres was summoned to Rome this week to discuss his future. Colleagues say he refused to resign, as requested, leaving Francis with what the Vatican said was the “onerous” decision to remove him. The Vatican said in a statement Thursday that Francis acted for the good of the church in the diocese and for the sake of unity among Paraguayan bishops. He named Bishop Ricardo Jorge Valenzuela Rios, a Paraguayan, to temporarily replace Livieres. The removal underscored the deep ideological shift in the Catholic Church with Francis in charge. Vatican watchers say it is highly unlikely that Pope Benedict XVI would have removed either Livieres or the “bling bishop,” since both had strong supporters among the more conservative prelates in Rome who appreciated their firm orthodoxy in the face of opposition from more progressive parts of the church. Urrutigoity had been a member of the schismatic, traditionalist Society of St. Pius X. In Scranton, he founded a priestly society where the pre-Vatican II old Latin Mass was celebrated. In 2004, Scranton Bishop Joseph Martino suppressed the society, citing financial instability and allegations of sexual misconduct against Urrutigoity. Despite Martino’s warnings, Livieres in 2005 allowed Urrutigoity to join his diocese in Paraguay’s second-largest city. Urrutigoity’s supporters say he is the victim of a smear campaign, first in the United States and now by Paraguayan prelates who have an ideological axe to grind with Livieres. Advocates for sex abuse victims say Urrutigoity is a predator and that Livieres deserved to be punished for ignoring warnings about him. Livieres has boasted about his record in finding new priestly vocations thanks to his seminary and he has defended Urrutigoity. But he has acknowledged that other Paraguayan prelates have opposed his initiatives. Francis has made clear his disdain for traditionalist Catholics, finding them self-absorbed retrogrades who are out of touch with the church’s evangelizing mission today. His emphasis on a “church for the poor” is also something of a different focus than Opus Dei, which has a reputation of being an elitist movement that, while active in charity, attracts the wealthy and powerful. The removal is a blow to Opus Dei, which on Saturday will be celebrating the beatification of its late superior in Madrid.
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