Stark raving mad Archbishop who has appointed convicted child rapist to be Chancellor of the his Archdiocese attempts to justify the appointment in new letter.
The appointment of the new diocesan chancellor has sparked incomprehension and questions in recent days. These questions must be heard. Through this letter, I wish to explain my choice to you, without resorting to the distorting prism of the press or rumors.
Rape is a crime, and this is in no way intended to downplay a crime. It is our absolute duty to do everything possible to ensure that the victim is recognized and supported in her life's journey; she must move forward to rebuild herself by discovering that she is not first and foremost a victim, even if these wounds cause lifelong harm.
The Church, and the Diocese of Toulouse in particular, have put in place the necessary resources to prevent child abuse (a victim support unit, training for priests and lay people, implementation of the necessary canonical procedures, etc.). I personally meet with many victims, and I mourn with them. I support them as best I can. We filed reports with the courts, we sent files to Rome. All this was also done for Father Spina, at the time. Rome did not dismiss him from the clerical state; that is, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith deemed that he could still fulfill a ministry.
Since I have been in Toulouse, Father Spina has been in charge of the Catholic archives and, as vice-chancellor, manages notifications of baptisms and marriages; baptismal certificates for parishes that request them. He sorts, archives, and digitizes documents. After the resignation of the current chancellor, I chose to maintain the continuity of the mission and appoint Father Spina as chancellor, while maintaining his responsibilities in the archives.
As chancellor, as before, he will continue to work in his office at the archdiocese; he therefore has no contact with young people and lives a very discreet life. The chancellor is a man in the shadows of a diocese; he has no leading role, and this can in no way be understood or presented as a promotion, as some media outlets have attempted to do. It is a continuation and expansion of a service he was already largely performing.
The media cited a phrase from Canon Law: the chancellor must be "of an upright reputation and above suspicion." I think this can be said today of Father Spina, if we believe, as the Christian faith and simple humanity invite us to do, that a person's conversion is possible. This naturally presupposes being able to rely on clear signs of conversion and change of life.
Is it possible to show mercy to a priest who sinned gravely thirty years ago and who has since demonstrated self-denial and integrity in his service and his relationships with his superiors and colleagues?
Pope Francis said that God is Mercy, that is His Name. And we Christians are witnesses to divine mercy.
Regarding the case of Father Dominic Spina, the victim was recognized, she received justice, the crime was denounced, and Father Spina spent four years in prison, which he served. Both society and the Church must desire and ensure the safe reintegration of those convicted.
Mercy is not opposed to justice, but goes further. If there is no mercy, we are the most unhappy, because there is no salvation possible for any of us. Not showing mercy is confining the perpetrator of the abuse to social death; it is reinstating a form of the death penalty.
Since for us Christians, the Word of God is our reference, I invite you to meditate on the prophet Ezekiel, who tells us, "The righteousness of the righteous will not deliver him in the day of his iniquity, nor will the wickedness of the wicked cause him to stumble in the day he turns from his wickedness" (33:12). He invites us to mercy, which is our only hope.
Please be assured of my devotion and prayers.
Monsignor de Kerimel
Archbishop of the Diocese of Toulouse
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