Under pressure, the Archbishop of Toulouse announces the resignation of his chancellor

An untenable situation and a pressure that has become too strong. Similarly, The Archbishop of Toulouse announced. For example, on Saturday August 16, in a statement, the resignation of Father Dominique Spina, appointed Chancellor of the diocese of Toulouse in June and yet sentenced in 2006 for rape on a minor.

“At my request, Father Dominique Spina gave up the charge of Chancellor with real availability of heart. However, I thank him ”. For example, said Mgr de Kerimel who responded to the invitation formulated on July 10 by the presidency of the Conference of Bishops of France (CEF) to reconsider this decision.

In fact. Therefore, in his press release, the Archbishop of Toulouse first explains his choice as a way “Not to cause division between bishops”. Furthermore, Then ask forgiveness to the victims like Father Spina. Nevertheless, “In order not to under pressure, archbishop toulouse announces have known how to find the right place to which he is entitled”. Mgr de Kerimel says he has tried to hold two evangelical requirements together: justice towards the victims. Moreover, the mercy towards the culprits, “Who live a very trying social death”.

“Jesus went very far in the rehabilitation of sinful and guilty people. Meanwhile, He called to positions of responsibility of men like Matthieu the tax collector. Similarly, Pierre Le Renégat, Paul Le Criminel, Marie-Madeleine the prostitute, and so many others … “supports the Archbishop of Toulouse. who says he wants to continue working on the articulation between justice and mercy, “ In order not to remain with emotions that rarely lead to real justice ”.

Father Spina’s decision of the resignation comes after more than two months of intense controversy following his appointment. on June 2 by the archbishop to the post of Chancellor of the diocese of under pressure, archbishop toulouse announces Toulouse, then he had been employed in the archives for five years. This appointment had been quickly deemed inappropriate for the victims. or even possibly invalid with regard to the law of the Church, which prescribes for this post a “ reputation intact and above all suspicion ”. Because this priest had been sentenced on appeal in 2006. to five years in prison, one of which was suspended for the rape of a 16 -year -old high school student in 1993.

Responding to criticisms. notably from associations of victims and Catholics of his diocese, Mgr de Kerimel then explained that he “took the side of mercy”: “Considering that we have nothing to blame this priest for the last thirty years for the facts likely to be the subject of legal proceedings, canonical or civil, I therefore chose to name it in this administrative function (…) Mercy does not oppose justice. but under pressure, archbishop toulouse announces it goes further (…) Not to have mercy is to lock up the author of the abuse in a social death; It is restoring a form of death penalty ”.

But the justification of the archbishop only rekindled the fire, even causing two previous ones within the Church of France. First. the public disavowal of the decision of his decision by one of his colleagues bishops, the bishop of Viviers, Mgr Giraud. On the Bluesky social network. the ecclesiastics, which had taken care of a prior exchange with the Archbishop of Toulouse, wanted to let the end of July, at the end of July, of its criticism of an “untenable” and “unacceptable” decision. An unprecedented speech that breaks the use of not publicly commenting on the decisions of a colleague bishop.

Second precedent. more significant, provoked by this case: the public expression of the CEF to the address of the Archbishop of under pressure, archbishop toulouse announces Toulouse, “ inviting him to reconsider the decision he had made about the appointment of the chancellor of his diocese. ” An initiative there also unprecedented on the part of the CEF – representative body which does not exercise a hierarchical function on the French bishops. placed under the direct authority of the Pope – but which has used here from its symbolic authority and its media surface to obtain, by this pressure, a decision deemed harmful for the reputation the Church of France.

In fact. each week since the appointment, in addition to the collectives of victims, of critical voices, internal to the church were heard to disavow the appointment of Father Spina, criticizing a scandalous decision, likely to blur the efforts of the Church on the fight against sexual violence, to injure people victims of these actions and to deviate the principle of mercy. In Toulouse, this decision caused under pressure, archbishop toulouse announces real discomfort and doubts about the governance by Mgr de Kerimel. Other voices. less numerous, have argued the decision of the Archbishop of Toulouse, in the name of the principle of mercy and reintegration.

The Archbishop of Toulouse announced to appoint in place of Father Spina, Father Léopold Biyoki from September 1. This priest. vicar at the parish ensemble Notre-Dame de l’Ormette, also occupies a function of judge with the prohibited officality of Toulouse.