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Pope Leo XIV accepts resignation of Peruvian bishop accused of sexual abuse

July 16, 2026 · 1 min read

On July 15, Pope Leo XIV accepted the resignation of Antonio Santarsiero Rosa as bishop of the Diocese of Huacho, Peru, which he has led since 2004.

The resignation was accepted as Santarsiero turned 75, the age at which the Code of Canon Law requires bishops to submit their resignation to the pope. The decision comes just over three months after allegations of sexual abuse and psychological mistreatment against the prelate came to light.

The Holy See Press Office stated only that “the Holy Father has accepted the resignation” without providing further details.

Accusations against Santarsiero In April, the Spanish news outlet InfoVaticana reported on the accusations, contained in a dossier sent to the apostolic nunciature in Peru and the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith in Rome.

According to the outlet, the documentation contains allegations of sexual abuse and psychological mistreatment attributed to the bishop over a period of several years.

InfoVaticana also reported that the two accounts align on key details of the alleged incidents, with one of them claiming that some of the abuse occurred while the victim was still a minor.

Santarsiero denied the…

Source: Catholic News Agency · Read the full story →

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💬 Comments (3) 🌐 Show original

Martin Horváth

It is sad that all this dragged on for years and only came to light now, when the bishop was 75. Since one of the cases also involved a minor, it would be good if the Vatican would at least briefly say whether it will be investigated. Otherwise, it looks like it will just close quietly.

Petra Kováčová

I agree that the coincidence with the year 75 looks strange and one would expect a clearer signal from the Vatican. Since it also concerns a minor, it would be fair if they at least confirmed that the investigation is continuing. Do you think they should publish more, even if it's just a few sentences?

Alžbeta Nováková

It's really strange how it all surfaced only now at 75 years. When one case mentions a minor, I would like to know if the Dicastery for the Doctrine of Faith is still investigating it, or if it will just be postponed. Otherwise, it looks like it will be quietly swept under the rug.