Pope Francis has removed a Belgian former bishop from the priesthood after he admitted to sexually abusing two of his nephews, more than a decade after the scandal initially surfaced.
The Vatican announced on Thursday that Bishop Roger Vangheluwe, aged 87, has been “dismissed from the clerical state” following the emergence of “serious new elements” in the case.
Bishop Vangheluwe stepped down as bishop of Bruges in 2010 after confessing to abusing one of his nephews over several years. He later acknowledged abusing a second nephew, although he was not prosecuted due to Belgium’s statute of limitations.
The country’s bishops have repeatedly urged the Vatican to defrock Bishop Vangheluwe, with his case becoming emblematic of the abuse scandals in Belgium. Despite being removed from the priesthood, he will continue to reside in a monastery.
