Peruvian Catholic university defies Vatican; showdown likely

October 28, 2011

The Pontifical Catholic University of Peru has refused to accept directions from an apostolic visitor, making it more likely that the Vatican will strip the institution of its official “Catholic” status.

Earlier this month the Vatican named Cardinal Peter Erdo of Budapest to conduct an apostolic visitation of the university, which has resisted calls to comply with the terms fo Ex Corde Ecclesiae, the apostolic constitution governing the conduct of Catholic universities. But a representative of the school has announced: “In no way will we accept any imposition made by Cardinal Erdo.”

The university—which has already refused to seat the Archbishop of Lima on its board, violating a requirement of its own founding documents—risks losing its status as a pontifical institution, and thus provoking a legal crisis. The original donor who provided the land for the school stipulate that if the pontifical university is closed, the property would pass to the Lima archdiocese.

 

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Further information:

• Pontifical university announces it will not accept directives from apostolic visitor (CNA)
• Hungarian cardinal named to investigate Peruvian Catholic university (CWN, 10/20)