VATICAN CITY
Washington Post
Pope’s ex-sex crimes prosecutor, now Malta bishop, kept on as member of Vatican congregation
By Associated Press
Updated: Saturday, December 1
VATICAN CITY — The Vatican’s former sex crimes prosecutor, who was recently named a bishop in Malta, is keeping a foot in his old office.
The pope on Saturday named Bishop Charles Scicluna a member of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Scicluna had been based at the congregation for 10 years as its chief prosecutor, or promoter of justice, investigating clerical sex abuse cases and earning the respect of victims and even some of the Vatican’s toughest critics for his hard line against pedophile priests.
As a member of the congregation now, Scicluna will sit alongside the two dozen cardinals and handful of bishops who judge the abuse cases that come before the office.
Scicluna’s October appointment as an auxiliary bishop in his native Malta had raised alarm that the Vatican might be backing off his hard line on abuse and forcing him out. Scicluna insisted that was not the case and his appointment Saturday makes clear he’ll remain very much involved.
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