Background to the Spina appointment
"Apology to the victims": Archbishop de Kerimel of Toulouse rescinds the promotion of a priest convicted of rape of a minor in 2006
The appointment of Father Spina as chancellor of the Diocese of Toulouse, despite his conviction for rape, sparked outrage. He resigned, and the archbishop asked the victims for forgiveness.
The crisis that began in June surrounding the appointment of Father Dominique Spina as chancellor of the Diocese of Toulouse came to an end on Saturday, August 16. In a statement, Archbishop Guy de Kerimel stated that the priest "has resigned from the position of chancellor," and that a new official has been appointed to this key position in the diocesan administration.
This reversal brings to an end two months of controversy. The affair began on June 2, when the archbishop promoted Father Spina, who was already serving in the diocesan archives. This appointment immediately sparked strong reactions due to the priest's criminal record: sentenced in 2006 to five years in prison, one of which was suspended, for the rape of a 16-year-old boy, he served his sentence before being reinstated in Toulouse in 2007 to work on archiving assignments, and then briefly appointed parish priest. Faced with criticism, he withdrew from pastoral duties in 2016.
Dominique Spina's appointment as Chancellor sparked outrage from numerous associations representing victims of sexual abuse, as well as from the faithful and church leaders. The French Bishops' Conference itself deemed the decision "unacceptable," recalling that such a position requires an "impeccable reputation" and that such an appointment risked "opening wounds" and "disconcerting the people of God."
Under pressure, the Archbishop of Toulouse therefore chose to back down. "In order not to provoke division among bishops, and to avoid remaining at a standoff between those "for" and "against," I have decided to reverse my decision; it is now done," wrote Bishop de Kerimel.
In his statement, the Archbishop sent a message to both parties involved. "My decision was interpreted as a snub to the victims of sexual abuse; I ask the victims' forgiveness for this," he wrote. But he also expressed regret toward the priest in question, believing he "failed to find the rightful place" he deserved after his conviction and sentence.
This tension between recognizing the victims' suffering and the possibility of rehabilitating the perpetrators runs throughout the text. "How can we maintain primary attention to the victims without forever rejecting the perpetrators?" asks Bishop de Kerimel, calling for further reflection within the Church.
The Archbishop places his remarks within a broader framework. Referring to "restorative justice," he points out that the French justice system has abandoned the death penalty and is based on the idea of possible rehabilitation for criminals. He warns against the temptation of revenge, which risks "locking us into a destructive logic."
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