The convicted rapist in the Diocesan Chancellor's office
The appointment of the chancellor of the Toulouse diocese sparks controversy
On July 1, 2025, Archbishop Guy de Kerimel of Toulouse announced the appointment of Father Dominique Spina to the position of chancellor and episcopal delegate for marriages. He previously served as archivist for the Toulouse diocese. This news has sparked strong reactions and profound incomprehension among many faithful in France, as Father Spina has a serious criminal record: he was tried in 2006 by the Pau Assize Court for the rape of a minor. Among the reactions, Bishop Hervé Giraud considers this appointment "unacceptable and untenable." In addition to the Bishop of Viviers, victims' groups and associations such as "Parler et Revivre" or "Après le CIASE" have expressed their profound disagreement and speak of "a major institutional failure." A chancellor represents the administrative integrity of a diocese. To respond to this wave of criticism, Bishop de Kerimel wrote a statement on July 10 explaining his choice, recognizing that rape is a crime and that "the Church and the diocese of Toulouse in particular have put in place the necessary means to prevent child abuse." He also asks if "it is possible to show mercy to a priest who sinned gravely thirty years ago, and who, since then, has shown self-denial and integrity in his service and his relationships with his superiors and colleagues?"
“As chancellor, and as before, Abbé Spina will continue to work in his office at the archbishopric; he therefore has no contact with young people, and lives in a very discreet manner. The chancellor is a man in the shadows in a diocese; he has no leading role, and this can in no way be understood or presented as a promotion, as some press outlets have tried to do. It is the continuation and extension of a service that he already performed to a large extent,” adds the Archbishop of Toulouse. However, it is clear that a diocesan chancellor is a direct collaborator of the bishop. He has the title of ecclesiastical officer, primarily responsible for drafting, signing, preserving, and authenticating the official documents of the bishop and the Diocesan curia. Through this important role, he has access to confidential information and manages sensitive files relating to private life or disciplinary matters. He therefore embodies the rigor and reliability of the Church. And even if he is not in direct contact with the faithful, he plays a key role in the governance of a diocese.
Other ways to show mercy?
“My first reaction was to think of the victims,” declared Mgr Hervé Giraud, Bishop of Viviers, in Ardèche. “After so many years of awareness, reports including that of the CIASE, how could we still appoint a guilty priest, even one who has served his sentence, to such a position that requires a ‘reputation of integrity’?” he confided to journalists. “The Archbishop of Toulouse spoke of the ‘principle of mercy,’ but I told myself that we really didn’t have the same notion of mercy. Who should show mercy?” I don't think a bishop can show mercy without taking the victims into account." "Of course, we shouldn't punish this priest twice," he added. "But there are other ways to give him a future, and not necessarily by giving him a mission that requires a high degree of integrity. There's still a lot to do, there's a lot of prevention to be done; an event like this mustn't hinder the expectations of the victims."
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