Australian archdiocese moves aggressively to laicize priests guilty of abuse
May 09, 2011
The Archdiocese of Melbourne, Australia, has moved to laicize all priests who have been convicted of sexual abuse against children, The Age reports.
Of the 11 living Catholic priests who have been convicted on criminal charges of molesting children, 4 have already been laicized. The archdiocese is awaiting decisions from Rome on 5 other requests for laicization, and plans to submit the last 2 cases later this year. One other priest has been laicized after a Church panel found him guilty of abuse, although he has not been convicted on criminal charges.
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