The Italian judiciary is investigating several members of a former clerical community for sexual abuse, following a complaint by the bishop of Prato. Italian media say five priests and four others have been served with investigation notices.
Bishop Giovanni Nerbini on Wednesday ared judicial authorities of his diocese's willingness to cooperate. The community "Discepoli dell'Annunciazione" was already dissolved in December by the Vatican Congregation for Religious Orders, according to the diocesan communique.
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith ordered criminal proceedings
According to the diocese, a young man had approached Nerbini's predecessor in office, Franco Agostinelli, in June 2019, stating that he had been sexually and psychologically abused in the community years ago as a minor. On the bishop's report, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in Rome in September ordered a criminal proceeding under canon law, which the just-inaugurated new Bishop Nerbini opened.
Without waiting for the outcome of the ecclesiastical proceedings, Nerbini said he turned to the Prato prosecutor's office in December. The bishop stressed that he had received and heard the plaintiff immediately. According to media reports, in addition to the plaintiff, his brother is also affected by the alleged assaults.
No obligation to report to secular justice
A few weeks ago, independently of the criminal investigations, the community of "Discepoli" was dissolved; the reason was deficiencies in the spiritual life and a too small number of members.
The Italian Bishops' Conference had only published new guidelines against sexual abuse in June 2019. In it, the bishops emphasize that there is no obligation to report to secular justice, but profess a "moral obligation" to contact state authorities in case of reasonable suspicion.