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| Vatican Sets Trial for Ex-Ambassador Accused of Sexual Abuse | Vatican Sets Trial for Ex-Ambassador Accused of Sexual Abuse |
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| The Vatican announced on Monday that in July it would open a trial of its former ambassador to the Dominican Republic on charges of sexually abusing boys while serving in the Caribbean and of possessing child pornography after he was sent back to Rome in 2013. | The Vatican announced on Monday that in July it would open a trial of its former ambassador to the Dominican Republic on charges of sexually abusing boys while serving in the Caribbean and of possessing child pornography after he was sent back to Rome in 2013. |
| The case of the former envoy and archbishop, Jozef Wesolowski, caused an international scandal when it was learned that the Vatican had secretly recalled him to Rome from Santo Domingo, the Dominican capital, before officials in the Caribbean nation could investigate, saying that he could not be tried in the Dominican Republic because he had diplomatic immunity. | |
| Mr. Wesolowski came to the attention of the Dominican authorities after a television journalist aired an investigation reporting that the ambassador had a habit of picking up shoeshine boys along the waterfront and taking them to secluded spots. Some boys said he gave them money to molest them. | Mr. Wesolowski came to the attention of the Dominican authorities after a television journalist aired an investigation reporting that the ambassador had a habit of picking up shoeshine boys along the waterfront and taking them to secluded spots. Some boys said he gave them money to molest them. |
| The former ambassador was defrocked by the Vatican in June 2014 and has been awaiting a criminal trial by the Vatican since then. It will be the first trial on sexual abuse charges held under new rules for criminal procedures put in place by Pope Francis. | |
| It was not known until Monday that the Vatican would also bring child pornography charges against the former ambassador. | |
| The Vatican said in announcing the trial that these were “serious charges” and that it would be a “delicate and detailed procedure.” It is set to begin on July 11. | The Vatican said in announcing the trial that these were “serious charges” and that it would be a “delicate and detailed procedure.” It is set to begin on July 11. |
| A Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Ciro Benedettini, said that Vatican officials had found child pornography on the former ambassador’s computer and dated it to Mr. Wesolowski’s time in the Dominican Republic. | |
| The announcement of the trial’s opening came on the same day as the resignation of the archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis, whose archdiocese was recently indicted on mishandling sexual abuse by a priest. | The announcement of the trial’s opening came on the same day as the resignation of the archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis, whose archdiocese was recently indicted on mishandling sexual abuse by a priest. |
| Last week, the Vatican announced that it was creating a new tribunal to judge bishops accused of covering up or mishandling accusations of sexual abuse in their dioceses. | Last week, the Vatican announced that it was creating a new tribunal to judge bishops accused of covering up or mishandling accusations of sexual abuse in their dioceses. |
| Father Benedettini said it was “pure coincidence” that the resignation of the archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis came on the same day as the announcement of the Wesolowski trial. He said it took so long to set a trial date because the investigation was “complex” and done in two countries, Italy and the Dominican Republic. | |
| “It takes time to verify and check,” he said. | “It takes time to verify and check,” he said. |
| Vatican officials had suggested that the criminal trial would begin in the winter or early spring, and gave no reasons for the delay. | Vatican officials had suggested that the criminal trial would begin in the winter or early spring, and gave no reasons for the delay. |
| Prosecutors in Poland, where Mr. Wesolowski is originally from, have said that they were also interested in bringing a case against him, but that they did not have the cooperation of the Vatican or information from Dominican officials. |