Pope Francis has officially removed Roger Vangheluwe, the former Bishop of Bruges, from the priesthood. Vangheluwe, 87, resigned 14 years ago after he had previously admitted to abusing two nephews.
The decision was announced after the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith presented “new serious elements” to Pope Francis, who then ordered his laicization.
Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo and the Belgian bishops had been vocal in their demands for action from the Vatican. “It comes late but is a necessary step for the victims in their search for justice,” De Croo said on X (formerly Twitter).
Vangheluwe’s case has been a significant point of contention, threatening to overshadow Pope Francis’s planned visit to Belgium later this year. The bishops had written several times to the Holy See, expressing concern over the delay in removing Vangheluwe from the clerical state. Their joint letter in October 2023 reiterated their demand for his laicization.
In light of his dismissal, Vangheluwe has “asked to be allowed to reside in a place of retreat, without any further contact with the outside world, to dedicate himself to prayer and penance.”
The Vatican’s response aims to address the scandal that has long cast a shadow over the Church in Belgium, emphasizing Pope Francis’s commitment “to eradicating this scourge from the Church,” said the apostolic nunciature to Belgium.
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