Posted on 08/13/2019 5:40:37 PM PDT by marshmallow
ORAN, Argentina - Bishop Gustavo Zanchetta, a prelate from Pope Francis’s native country whom the pontiff brought to Rome and gave a Vatican job in 2017 and who’s now facing charges of sexually abusing seminarians, is expected to appear in court in the diocese he once led on Thursday.
Zanchetta has been formally accused of “aggravated continuous sexual abuse” of two young men, and a judge previously ordered him to remain in Argentina and stay away from the alleged victims and their families. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
Oran’s prosecutor, María Soledad Filtrín, presented the judge with a 30-page report containing a summary of facts, evidence and testimony collected against the bishop, which she believes are enough to bring the case to trial.
Crux has confirmed that the bishop is expected in court on Thursday, at 10 am local time (one hour ahead of Eastern Daylight Time in the U.S.). The hearing could determine if he’s to be tried for the charges. If he fails to attend, he could await the trial in prison.
The first seminarian formally accused Zanchetta on Feb. 6, and the second a week later. They said the abuses began in 2016 and 2017, respectively.
Filtrín, the prosecutor, has charged that Zanchetta acted “with malicious intent” to have sexual involvement with the victims, “initiating the deployment of acts and maneuvers of seduction, manipulation and preeminence.” The fact that he was the victims’ superior, she said, inspired “reverential fear through inappropriate touching with a clear sexual significance, breaking the will of [the men] fearful of losing their status as seminarians and ending their vocation to religious service.”
(Excerpt) Read more at cruxnow.com ...
The Vatican needs more sodomites, apparently.
This affair goes on but seems to not adversely affect Francis, as long as he stays in a grey area.
My wild guess is Z will be convicted on some lesser charges but with sentence suspended. Then the Vatican trial... not much?
You have to wonder what God has in mind.
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