Vigano announces on X he is being tried for schism

Vatican News

Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, former apostolic nuncio to the United States, published on his “X” account a communication from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith summoning him to Rome to face “extrajudicial criminal proceedings” (also known as name of “administrative procedure”) for the canonical crime of schism.

According to the social story, which reproduces a copy of a decree attributed to the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, Viganò was to appear Thursday afternoon (or appoint his own defender) at 3:30 p.m. to “take note of the accusations” and the evidence concerning the crime of schism of which he is accused (public declarations which result in a denial of the elements necessary for maintaining communion with the Catholic Church; denial of the legitimacy of Pope Francis; rupture of communion with him; and rejection of the Second Vatican Council ). The document warns that if he fails to appear or submit a written defense submitted by June 28, the archbishop “will be judged in his absence.”

In September 2018, Archbishop Viganò wrote a resounding letter regarding the case of then-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, in which he called for the resignation of Pope Francis. The McCarrick affair, which was fully clarified by the Holy See with the publication in November 2020 of a detailed report which generally refutes the archbishop, is not the subject of the document published in account himself, the former apostolic nuncio is rather accused of refusing to recognize the legitimacy of the current Pontiff and that of the last Council. The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith made no comment on the announcement published on social networks.

By publishing the decree, the social profile linked to Archbishop Viganò attributes to the former nuncio the following: “I consider the accusations against me as an honor” and describes the Second Vatican Council as an “ideological, theological, moral and liturgical cancer “. of which the “synodal Church” is a “metastasis”.

Commenting on the case, Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin said: “Bishop Viganò adopted certain attitudes and certain acts for which he must answer.” The Cardinal was speaking on the sidelines of a conference at the Pontifical Urban University, explaining that the former nuncio will have the opportunity to defend himself.

Reflecting on his previous experience working with Archbishop Vigano, Cardinal Parolin told reporters: “I am very sorry because I always appreciated him as a great worker, very faithful to the Holy See, someone who was, in a certain meaning, also an example. . When he was apostolic nuncio, he did a good job.

“I don’t know what happened,” concluded the Secretary of State.