Two Polish priests have been detained on child sex abuse charges, prosecutors said Wednesday, the latest development in a southern Poland diocese rocked by a wave of scandals involving its clergy.
Prosecutors said they had launched an investigation into sexual abuse after evidence emerged as they were probing a homicide-suicide case involving two other priests from the diocese of Sosnowiec.
Three men were now detained as part of the investigation into the abuse, among them two Catholic priests from the Sosnowiec diocese.
“The two men have been charged with committing sexual offences against minors,” prosecution spokesman Jakub Seweryn told AFP.
The third man, a former priest, has been charged with fraud.
Prosecutors said they had identified the victims and declined to elaborate on the details of the case “for the sake of those affected”.
Last year, the Vatican accepted the resignation of the Sosnowiec diocese bishop after one of its priests allegedly organised an orgy with a sex worker.
The scandal came to light when the man fainted during the party and the emergency services had to be called to treat him.
The diocese has seen other sex scandals in the past. Local press reported on the case of the director of a local seminary being sacked after he was allegedly caught having sex at a gay night club.
The new bishop in charge of the diocese announced in June two commissions would be established to investigate the scandals.
Traditionally Catholic Poland has in recent years seen the once-powerful Church shaken by a number of sex scandals, including cases of abuse against minors.
Only this year, the Holy See announced the resignations of two Polish bishops involved in the cover-up of sexual abuse cases.
Pope Francis has made combatting sexual assault in the Church one of the main missions of his papacy, insisting on a “zero-tolerance” policy following multiple wide-reaching scandals.
Published – October 03, 2024 03:40 am IST