Recently, the resignation of Bishop Domínguez in San Rafael, Mendoza, who held the position of bishop in one of the most important places for the Institute of the Incarnate Word and the Servants of the Lord and the Virgin of Matará, has been announced. In this diocese the founding house and most of the convents are concentrated, in addition to being a close friend of the members of the Word. His sudden resignation, without farewells or notification to his clergy, has generated a stir in the diocese.
According to direct sources, days before his departure, he was formally denounced in the diocese for improper touching of young people, invitations to nudist beaches and other inappropriate behavior.
Bishop Domínguez, after his jovial attitude, his continuous cigarette, which denoted anxiety, and his vulgar way of speaking, has managed to flee San Rafael before being confronted by the relatives of the victims and the local media.
However, the most surprising thing is not his departure, which was expected of a guilty party, but the strategy to silence the case under the argument of “not scandalizing the faithful.”
Consequently, here the members of our San Rafael clergy advise the parishioners not to take additional actions:
“Do not continue with the complaints; in short, he is gone”
“Possibly he left because he had fallen in love with a woman and therefore decided to flee before the temptation”
“He had problems with the clergy,” etc.
In this way, you can continue to spread falsehoods in order to avoid scandals… Statements of any kind are disseminated with the purpose of not revealing the truth.
The harsh truth is that he was an undercover homosexual who liked to grope young people in the cathedral’s gatherings.
Have the consequences of this concealment been considered?
1) Loss of credibility
Unfortunately, the Church has lost credibility by hiding abuse for years, especially in North America and Europe, which has led to the fact that, 30 or 40 years later, all the cases come to light and the scandal is devastating. The dimensions of the moral damage that has been done have been serious and an atmosphere of distrust has been created among the faithful.
2) Protection of the guilty
By hiding the truth, the guilty are protected. This bishop moves to another lesser-known place and there his misdeed continues with new victims. To avoid scandal, victims were advised not to report, not to speak. As a result, the problem is transferred to another diocese.
3) Harm to victims
Victims may feel that they have been ignored or slighted. Some may lose faith and be marginalized as if they were the ones responsible. Not to mention the legitimate right to fair compensation for harm, as the restorative justice approach is often overlooked.
On the other hand, there is evidence of a contradiction between the values predicated and the actions taken. While defending the principles of truth, justice and compassion, in situations that require the defense of the truth, the opposite is advised, under the argument of avoiding scandal.
Instead of promoting research and the search for the truth, silence and the concealment of information are chosen. This attitude promotes an environment of hypocrisy and falsehood that gradually erodes communities. Sadly, we witness these cowardly behaviors in our environment. For example, the refusal of the Institute of the Incarnate Word and the Servants of the Lord and the Virgin of Matará to address the accusations against their founder is evident, even in the face of evidence and sentences.
If Christ embodies the Truth, who do they follow? To whom are they consecrated? They ask for the grace of martyrdom, but the truth must be hidden and the victims must be silenced. In short, it is a matter that deserves deep reflection.
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