Papal arch-enemy Archbishop Vigano was found guilty of schism, and excommunicated

Italian archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, a staunch ultra-conservative critic of Pope Francis was declared guilty of schism, and excommunicated.

VATICAN CITY — Italian Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano , a fierce ultra-conservative critic of Pope Francis , has been found guilty of schism and excommunicated, the Vatican’s doctrinal office said on Friday.

Vigano was the papal envoy to Washington between 2011 and 2016 He went into hiding in 2018 after claiming that the pope had been aware for a long time about sexual misconduct committed by U.S. Cardinal Theodore McCarrick and did nothing about it.

He had argued that the pope should step down and then branded him as a “false prophet” and a “servant of Satan.”

The Vatican denied Vigano’s claims of the cover-up of sexual conductand this month summoned him to testify on allegations of being a schism and disproving the legitimacy of the pope.

In a statement issued on Friday the doctrinal offices said his remarks were clear that he was not willing “to recognize and submit” to Pope Francis. He also resisted the legitimacy of reforms liberally implemented through the Roman Catholic Church in the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s, according to the statement.

“At the conclusion of the penal process, the Most Reverend Carlo Maria Vigano was found guilty of the reserved delict (violation of the law) of schism,” the statement stated, noting that he was removed, or excommunicated out of the Church.

In a post regarding X the 83-year old Vigano did not relent, and even published the entire details of the ruling against him. The message warned him that he might be exiled out of his position in the Roman Catholic priesthood for a long time if he continued to maintain his position.

He called on Catholic faithful to express his support by quoting Jesus to his New Testament: “If they keep quiet, the stones themselves will start shouting.”

The Vatican ruling was ratified by Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernandez, head of the Doctrine of the Faith office, and the office’s secretary Father John Joseph Kennedy. In typical things, it wasn’t issued by the pope however, it is extremely unlikely that the penalty was handed out without his approval.

The pope is being attacked

Vigano who mostly interacts with his friends via X Facebook, stated in March that he declined to participate in the proceedings for discipline as he didn’t believe in the legitimacy of the institutions that were behind the process.

“I do not recognize the authority of the tribunal that claims to judge me, nor of its Prefect, nor of the one who appointed him,” said the judge. declared, referring to Fernandez and Francis.

In a long text, Vigano referred to the pope by his name only, “Bergoglio”, and claimed that he represented an “inclusive, immigrationist, eco-sustainable, and gay-friendly” church which had diverged from its core message.

Francis has upset conservatives with his reassurances to divorcees as well as members of the LGBT community as well as by declaring that forgiveness and mercy should be prior to the strict application the strict adherence to Catholic doctrine.

Also, the pope thrown himself into conflict with traditionalists and conservatives by advocating for the rights of migrants and the combat against climate change and defending the excesses of capitalism.

In the past, Francis took action against another arch-conservative political critic of The U.S., dismissing Bishop Joseph E. Strickland from Tyler, Texas, after he refused to resign at will after an investigation by the Vatican investigation.