Prato Bishop Giovanni Nerbini
Title: Priests in group shut down by Vatican accused of sex abuse
Author: Nicole Winfield
Publisher: Associated Press via Star Tribune
Date: 29JAN2020
Nine priests and brothers of a Catholic group recently shut down by the Vatican are under investigation by Italian authorities for allegedly sexually abusing two brothers, officials and news reports said Wednesday.
Prato Bishop Giovanni Nerbini confirmed that Prato criminal prosecutors had opened an investigation after he reported the case to police against members of the Disciples of the Annunciation community. He pledged the church’s cooperation with the investigation.
The Vatican in December officially dissolved the Disciples, a Prato-based, diocesan-approved association of the faithful, after two successive Vatican investigations uncovered a host of problems and members fled the group.
The Vatican has closed or taken over several of these new associations and Catholic movements in recent years after a variety of abuses emerged, including sexual abuse and abuse of authority by their often-charismatic leaders.
For more information visit: http://m.startribune.com/priests-in-group-shut-down-by-vatican-accused-of-sex-abuse/567386062/