Two file complaint against San Jose archbishop for alleged cover up La Croix International staff Costa Rica

La Croix International staff, February 28,2019

The Vatican expelled a Costa Rican priest over sex abuse allegations on Feb. 25, just one day after the conclusion of an historic four-day meeting of bishops in Rome on the protection of minors.

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Both men have also filed a complaint with the Apostolic Nunciature against Archbishop Quiros for helping to cover up Viquez’s crimes.

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“Father Mauricio Víquez Lizano, priest of the Archdiocese of San José, has been imposed the permanent and expiatory punishment of expulsion from the clerical state,” said the Vatican statement, which was read to journalists by Jason Granados, the archdiocesan spokesman.

Two of the alleged victims of Viquez spoke to AFP and the Tico Times http://www.ticotimes.net/2019/02/27/victims-speak-on-allegations-of-abuse-within-catholic-church-in-costa-rica this week about their experience of being abused when they were serving as altar boys.

This took such a toll on their life that they later considered suicide, questioned their own sexuality and struggled to form intimate relationships, they said.

One of them, 33-year-old dental technician Anthony Venegas, said the clerical sex abuse scandal is global in reach and “this country needs the Vatican to pay attention.”

Michael Rodriguez, 38, recalled how the priest would make him engage in group-masturbation sessions. He said he endured this from age 14 to 17, when Viquez was transferred to another parish.

Later, Venegas contacted the archdiocesan curia in 2003 and made his abuse claims to Father Jose Rafael Quiros, now the archbishop of San José, the media reports.

As a result, Viquez was removed from his position in Patarra but remained within the Church. Venegas said Church protocol demanded his name be withheld but claims this was also abused.

“They promised us anonymity and protection, but none of that was fulfilled,” he said.

Rodriguez did not come forward until last year, when he presented a formal canonical complaint against the priest in May.

Both men have also filed a complaint with the Apostolic Nunciature against Archbishop Quiros for helping to cover up Viquez’s crimes.

In defending the Church’s handling of the matter, Archbishop Quiros said Viquez received no more “parish responsibilities” after the claims against him first surfaced in 2003.

The priest was further disciplined last July when he was suspended ‘ad divinis’ meaning he was temporarily deprived of all ministerial responsibilities until the case was concluded.

But critics argue the archdiocese made a misstep in allowing him to serve as its spokesman for family affairs as recently as 2016. Ironically, this involved him speaking up against gay rights.

Article first appeared at: https://international.la-croix.com/news/sex-abuse-victims-speak-up-as-vatican-expels-costa-rican-priest/9566