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A retired Polish archbishop has been ordered to lead a life of prayer and penance, which includes a ban on taking part in any public celebrations — both secular and religious, according to Vatican News and international media.
The sanctions against Archbishop Marian Golebiewski, 83, the retired archbishop of Wroclaw and a former bishop of Koszalin-Kolobrzeg, came after a Vatican investigation looked into alleged negligence in handling allegations of abuse against minors by priests under his authority. The official announcement was published on the archdiocese's website Aug. 21.
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Vatican News' Polish desk reported that the investigation had been conducted regarding reported "omissions" by the archbishop and followed the provisions laid out by the Code of Canon Law and Pope Francis' "Vos Estis Lux Mundi" ("You are the light of the world"), which holds bishops accountable for interfering with, covering up or failing to address abuse accusations in their dioceses.
The investigation covered his period leading the Diocese of Koszalin-Kolobrzeg from 1996 to 2004 and the Archdiocese of Wroclaw from 2004 to 2013, media reported.
Completing its investigation, the Vatican ordered the retired archbishop to lead a life "in a spirit of penance and prayer," to no longer attend any ceremonies in public and, as an additional form of penance, to pay an "appropriate amount" of money from his own funds to the St. Jozef foundation for the prevention and accompaniment of victims of sexual abuse.
