Gozitan priest Dominic Camilleri, a child abuser, was informed he had been defrocked six months ago once the Vatican’s 2013 decision was confirmed, according to the Curia’s Safeguarding Commission.

The commission was reacting to a Malta Today report that Gozo Bishop Mario Grech had been hesitant to inform Fr Camilleri of his dismissal, even though the Vatican decided to defrock him in May 2013.

The 63-year-old priest has been accused of sexually abusing several boys in Gozo, but details on the cases, believed to have taken place over a number of years, remain sketchy since they were never reported to the police.

Contrary to the cases of sexual abuse on minors in Malta, the victims in Gozo – the number has never emerged – shunned publicity and have been reluctant to speak out.

The case was first referred to the Curia’s Response Team (it has since been replaced by the commission) in October 2003 by late Gozo Bishop Nikol Cauchi. Fr Camilleri was found guilty by an administrative and penal tribunal within the Malta diocese.

After the conclusion of the preliminary investigation in September 2005, Mgr Cauchi had presented the case to the Holy See and Fr Camilleri was suspended from all public priestly ministry in December 2005.

Eventually, the priest was defrocked by the Vatican in 2013 but following a request by the priest’s lawyer in July 2013, Mgr Grech was advised by the Apostolic Nuncio to suspend this decision and refer back to the Vatican.

In its replies to Malta Today, uploaded on the Curia’s website yesterday, the commission said that following correspondence between the Vatican and the Gozo Curia – which took into account the submissions made by the priest’s lawyer – the Vatican’s decision was confirmed in February 2015.

“Bishop Mario Grech sent a letter in March 2015 to Camilleri informing him of this decision. Camilleri was also informed in writing through his legal representative in May 2015,” the commission said.

It reiterated that Fr Camilleri had been suspended from all pastoral duties throughout the process. This meant he had no active role in the Church, and was not allowed to celebrate any sacraments.

“This was non-prejudicial to the final decision and done to safeguard any minors or vulnerable adults who may have been at risk of harm,” it added.

Consequently, any “possible or perceived delays” meant minors and vulnerable adults were not at risk; something, it said, was of paramount importance for the Church.

The priest’s name has since been removed from the list of clergy on the diocese’s website, the Nadur archpriest has been informed, and annotations of this decision have been made in the parish’s registry, this newspaper was informed.

When contacted, Mgr Grech told The Sunday Times of Malta he had been very hurt by the “unfounded allegations” that he had been dithering in taking action on the matter, when he had acted correctly.

“I have a heavy heart because I have always condemned child abuse. I’m also sad when trust is betrayed and I hope Dominic Camilleri will have the opportunity to redeem himself,” he said.

Mgr Grech took the accusations so much to heart that he alluded to the matter in his homily during the ordination of Fr George Bugeja as coadjutor bishop of Tripoli on Friday evening.

He said it was unfortunate that bad apples made headlines, even though the Gozo Church was vibrant and lucky to have so many committed priests.

Echoing his innermost pain at the situation, Mgr Grech’s advice to Fr Bugeja was: “Never stop loving, even when you feel alone on the cross… The ministry’s solitude can be cruel, and there will be times when you feel that even God has abandoned you… but be strong.”