Argentine bishop announces resignation amid corruption accusations

November 03, 2015

An Argentine bishop announced during a November 1 homily at the nation’s Marian shrine that following consultation with Pope Francis and the apostolic nuncio, he was resigning and would undertake a time of prayer.

Bishop Oscar Sarlinga, 52, was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Mercedes-Luján in 2003 and Bishop of Zárate-Campana in 2006. According to the Crux news site, his appointment as an auxiliary in Buenos Aires reportedly drew a protest from the city's archbishop, then-Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio. Later the future Pope Francis is said to have criticized his auxiliary for his excessive spending.

Argentina’s largest newspaper reported that Bishop Sarlinga has been accused of corruption and embezzlement and that his resignation followed an investigation by the current Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Cardinal Mario Poli.

On November 3, the Holy See Press Office announced that Pope Francis had accepted Bishop Sarlinga's resignation and that his successor would be Bishop Pedro María Laxague, currently an auxiliary bishop.

 

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Further information:

• Mons. Sarlinga dejará la diócesis de Zárate-Campana (AICA)
• Envuelto en un escándalo, renuncia el obispo de Zárate-Campana (Clarín)
• Argentine bishop who clashed with pope resigns amid financial scandal (Crux)
• Rinunce e nomine (Holy See Press Office)