Pope Francis has removed a Paraguayan bishop who was accused of protecting a suspected abuser.
Bishop Rogelio Ricardo Livieres Plano of Ciudad del Este reportedly protected a priest accused of sexual abusing young people when he served in the US.
The bishop, 69, and a member of Opus Dei, was dismissed following an investigation, the Vatican said, in an "onerous decision".
Bishop Plano said in an open letter that he was the victim of an ideological campaign by Paraguayan bishops in league with Vatican officials.
The diocese of Ciudad del Este said that the bishop would obey the order from Rome. In a statement Livieres Plano said accusations that he was at odds with other bishops in Paraguay were "unfounded" but he did not deny protecting the priest accused of sexual abuse.
SNAP, a group representing survivors of abuse welcomed, the decision saying Livieres Plano had "protected and promoted a credibly accused sex offender cleric".
Loading ...
