Pope Francis has defrocked a Belgian bishop, Roger Vangheluwe, who admitted to sexually abusing his nephew 14 years ago. This decision comes after Vangheluwe faced no Vatican punishment despite the scandal breaking in 2010. The case of Vangheluwe, the emeritus bishop of Bruges, highlighted the Catholic Church's challenges in addressing abuse cases effectively.
Vangheluwe's abuse of his young nephew, which spanned over a dozen years, led to international infamy in 2010. He later confessed to also abusing a second nephew, downplaying his actions as 'a little game' without 'rough sex.' Despite retiring early in 2010, Vangheluwe did not face further consequences, reflecting the Vatican's reluctance to discipline bishops for admitted sex crimes at the time.
The Vatican's decision to laicize Vangheluwe precedes Pope Francis' upcoming visit to Belgium, where the bishop's case could have posed a distraction. Recent reports of 'grave new elements' prompted the Vatican to revisit Vangheluwe's case, leading to his defrocking. The Belgian bishops had long sought Vangheluwe's defrocking, expressing outrage over the Vatican's inaction.
Following a recommendation from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, Pope Francis accepted the decision to laicize Vangheluwe. This action, the harshest punishment the Vatican can impose, means Vangheluwe can no longer serve as a priest. He has requested to live in seclusion for prayer and penitence.
Despite the laicization, some, like Belgian advocate Lieve Halsberghe, believe that justice has not been served for Vangheluwe's victims. Halsberghe criticized the Vatican's move as a 'PR stunt' ahead of Pope Francis' visit to Leuven later this year. The advocate highlighted the lack of legal action against Vangheluwe, who was found with child sexual abuse images on his computer in 2011.
