Italian bishop Luigi Ventura, the Apostolic Nuncio to France, attends a
mass 7, 2010 in Lourdes, southern France, on November 7, 2010. The
Vatican diplomat, who is already under investigation in France over
alleged sexual assault, is now facing a similar complaint in Canada.
PHOTO | REMY GABALDA| AFP
MONTREAL,
Vatican diplomat
Luigi Ventura -- who is already under investigation in France over
alleged sexual assault -- is now facing a similar complaint in Canada,
the Holy See's embassy in Ottawa said Thursday.
Luigi Ventura, currently the Vatican's envoy to France, has been accused of molesting an official at the Paris mayor's office.
The
74-year-old Italian archbishop served as the envoy to Canada from 2001
to 2009. He now faces a "single" complaint filed in Ottawa, the embassy
told AFP, adding that the complaint has been reported to officials in Vatican City.
RELIGIOUS NEWS
According
to the Canadian website Presence, which specialises in religious news
and first reported on the complaint, Ventura allegedly groped a man in
2008 at the shrine of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre in Quebec province.
The alleged victim, then 32, was helping to serve Ventura during
a banquet for the Feast of Sainte Anne. The man said that Ventura
touched his buttocks at least twice, according to Presence.
COMPLAINT
The
man filed his complaint last week at the Vatican embassy in Ottawa
after learning of the accusations against Ventura in France.
The accusations are more unwelcome news for the Catholic Church as it looks to turn the page on years of scandal.
Pope
Francis has vowed that the church will no longer ignore abuse
allegations, and he removed two prominent cardinals from his inner
circle late last year after they were tainted by paedophilia scandals
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