Prime Minister Alexander De Croo (Open VLD) has once again asked the Vatican to strip disgraced Belgian bishop Roger Vangheluwe of his title ahead of the Pope's visit to Belgium this year.
The appalling revelations of VRT documentary Godvergeten ('Godforsaken') prompted De Croo to call for the Catholic Church to withdraw the bishop's title for the first time in October. He has reiterated his request following a meeting with the Vatican's envoy to Belgium on Monday.
"This is an important step for the victims," the Prime Minister wrote on social media.
Ik heb zonet met de apostolische nuntius het bezoek van paus Franciscus aan ons land besproken.
Ik heb er opnieuw op aangedrongen dat het Vaticaan de titel van bisschop Roger Vangheluwe afneemt. Dat is belangrijk voor de slachtoffers. pic.twitter.com/zVLpZzrhkX — Alexander De Croo 🇧🇪🇪🇺 (@alexanderdecroo) January 22, 2024
Translation: I have just discussed the visit of Pope Francis to our country with the apostolic nuncio. I again urged the Vatican to take away bishop Roger Vangheluwe's title. This is important for the victims.
Vangheluwe resigned as Bishop of Bruges in 2010 after admitting to years of abusing his underage nephew. Currently residing in France, he wrote to the Pope in late September, following a plea by the Bishop of Antwerp Johan Bonny to renounce the paedophile's titles. The contents of the letter remain unknown.
De Croo's meeting with the Vatican also discussed the Pope's upcoming visit to Belgium. The politician stated the stripping of Vangheluwe's title was necessary to ensure the "smooth running" of the trip.
Indeed, the idea of a papal visit has provoked mixed reactions in the context of a Catholic Church embroiled in scandal. "As long as Rome remains quiet and does not actively sanction perpetrators and concealers of sexual abuse in the Belgian church, a visit by the Pope to our country is not desirable," Gwendolyn Rutten (Open VLD) stated in September. "Do something or stay away, that must be the unified message."
The specific date and details of the papal visit are yet to be confirmed.
