By The Vatican’s doctrinal office announced on Friday that Italian Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, a prominent ultra-conservative critic of Pope Francis, has been found guilty of schism and excommunicated from the Catholic Church. This decisive action marks a significant development in the ongoing tension between the Vatican and its conservative critics.
Vigano, who served as the papal envoy in Washington from 2011 to 2016, gained notoriety in 2018 when he accused Pope Francis of knowing about and failing to act on sexual misconduct allegations against U.S. Cardinal Theodore McCarrick. Following these accusations, Vigano went into hiding and escalated his criticism, calling for the Pope’s resignation and labeling him a “false prophet” and a “servant of Satan.
The Vatican rejected Vigano’s accusations of a cover-up and last month summoned him to answer charges of schism and denying the Pope’s legitimacy. The doctrinal office’s statement on Friday cited Vigano’s public comments as clear evidence of his refusal to “recognize and submit” to Pope Francis. Additionally, the office noted that Vigano had rejected the legitimacy of liberal reforms made by the Roman Catholic Church during the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s.
The 83-year-old Vigano remained defiant following the announcement, publishing the full text of the decision against him on social media platform X. The Vatican’s ruling warned that Vigano could face expulsion from the Roman Catholic priesthood if he persists in his stance.
Vigano has been a vocal critic of Pope Francis’ more inclusive approach to Church doctrine, accusing him of representing an “inclusive, immigrationist, eco-sustainable, and gay-friendly” Church that he believes has strayed from its true message. The Archbishop’s criticism aligns with broader conservative opposition to Francis’ efforts to make the Church more welcoming to divorcees and the LGBT community, as well as his emphasis on migrant rights and climate change action.
This excommunication follows other recent actions by Pope Francis against conservative critics, including the dismissal of Bishop Joseph E. Strickland of Tyler, Texas, in 2023 after he refused to step down voluntarily following a Vatican investigation.
The Vatican’s decision to excommunicate Vigano underscores the deepening divide within the Catholic Church between progressive and conservative factions, and demonstrates the Pope’s willingness to take decisive action against those who challenge his authority and vision for the Church.
NBCnews
