Roman Catholic Diocese of Orán

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This article is about a Catholic Diocese in Argentina. For the Catholic Diocese in Algeria, see Roman Catholic Diocese of Oran.

Diocese of Orán

Dioecesis Novoraniensis

Diócesis de Orán
Location
CountryArgentina
Ecclesiastical provinceSalta
MetropolitanSalta
Statistics
Area55,000 km2 (21,000 sq mi)
Population
- Total
- Catholics		(as of 2004)
321,100
280,000 (87.2%)
Parishes19
Information
DenominationRoman Catholic
RiteRoman Rite
Established10 April 1961 (63 years ago)
CathedralCathedral of St Raymond Nonnatus in Orán, Salta
Patron saintSt Raymond Nonnatus
Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Current leadership
PopeFrancis
BishopLuis Antonio Scozzina
Metropolitan ArchbishopMario Antonio Cargnello

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orán (Latin: Dioecesis Novoraniensis) is located in the city of San Ramón de la Nueva Orán, Argentina. It is a suffragan see to the Archdiocese of Salta.

History[edit]

On 10 April 1961, Pope John XXIII established the Diocese of Orán from the Archdiocese of Salta.[1][2]

Sex abuse and financial scandals[edit]

On 10 June 2019, former Bishop Gustavo Zanchetta was criminally charged with sexually abusing two seminarians.[3] Zanchetta, who was one of Pope Francis's first appointments in his home country, was first accused of "strange behaviour" in 2015 when pornographic pictures, including naked selfies, were found on his phone.[3] In August 2017, Pope Francis allowed Zanchetta to resign as Bishop of Orán, citing "health reasons," but then appointed him to serve as Assessor, or Councilor, to the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See.[3] Despite this appointment, Zanchetta remained in Argentina when he was charged.[3] He was barred from leaving the country, had to undergo a psychiatric evaluation, and faces between three and ten years in prison if convicted.[3] A Vatican trial also began for Zanchetta on 28 May 2019.[4][5][6] A local priest speaking on anonymity later told Crux Now on 13 August 2019 that the Diocese had "not one, not two, not three, but several" cases of sex abuse.[7]

On 28 August 2019, it was announced that Zanchetta's travel ban was lifted and he returned to Rome.[8] However he still remains suspended as Councilor to the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See and has appointed to take a different job in the Vatican.[8]

On 7 November 2019, the main offices of the Diocese of Orán were raided as part of the ongoing investigation against Zanchetta.[9][10] In addition to sex abuse charges, Zanchetta is also accused of committing acts of financial fraud and mismanagement by embezzling Diocese charity funds which were secretly not used for charitable causes, but instead were used for personal benefit.[9][10] Zanchetta also secretly sold Church property to buyers as well.[9][10] After this report surfaced it was reported that Zanchetta was still suspended by the Vatican.[9] On 27 November 2019, Zanchetta returned voluntarily to Argentina and appeared in court earlier than the scheduled 28 November deadline.[11][12] A judge once again allowed Zanchetta to return to the Vatican, but also required him to maintain residence at the Santa Marta Hotel.[13]

On 4 March 2022, Bishop Emeritus Zanchetta was convicted of «aggravated continued sexual abuse», sentenced to four and a half years in prison[14] and immediately arrested. Bishop Scozzina apologized to the victims and called for reconciliation «to heal the wounds caused by gestures and attitudes of authoritarianism and abuse of power».[15]

Ordinaries[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Diocese of Orán". catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
  2. ^ "Diocese of Orán". GCatholic.org. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Zanchetta formally charged with abusing seminarians | Catholic Herald". Archived from the original on 12 June 2019. Retrieved 10 June 2019.
  4. ^ "Pope says Argentine bishop now facing Vatican abuse trial". AP NEWS. 28 May 2019.
  5. ^ "Pope says Argentine bishop is being tried at Vatican on sex abuse charges". Los Angeles Times. 29 May 2019.
  6. ^ Brockhaus, Hannah. "Pope Francis says Argentine bishop will go to trial for sexual misconduct". Catholic News Agency.
  7. ^ "Argentina's most pious spot also an epicenter of clerical abuse crisis". Archived from the original on 14 August 2019. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
  8. ^ a b "Vatican tells Argentinian court accused bishop has job in Rome, despite being suspended". Archived from the original on 28 August 2019. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  9. ^ a b c d "Suspended Vatican official's former diocesan offices raided in Argentina". Archived from the original on 9 November 2019. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  10. ^ a b c "Police raid former offices of Argentine bishop charged with fraud, sex assault". Catholic News Agency.
  11. ^ "Archived copy". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 27 November 2019. Retrieved 27 November 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  12. ^ "Argentine priests sentenced for sexually abusing deaf schoolchildren - 24/7 Catholic News". Archived from the original on 27 November 2019. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  13. ^ "Argentine bishop appears at court hearing on abuse charges". Archived from the original on 28 November 2019. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  14. ^ Almudena Calatrava/Associated Press (4 March 2022). "Condenan por abuso sexual a obispo cercano al Papa Francisco". Los Angeles Times (in Spanish).
  15. ^ Roxana Alfieri (4 March 2002). "Argentina: el obispo emérito Zanchetta condenado a prisión por abuso sexual". Vida Nueva Digital (in Spanish).
  16. ^ "APPOINTMENT OF BR. LUIS ANTONIO SCOZZINA, OFM AS BISHOP OF ORÁN, ARGENTIN". Ordo Fratrum Minorum. Retrieved 7 April 2018.

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