Former bishop asks Pope not to appoint him cardinal after facing criticism

Luc Van Looy, former bishop of the Belgian city of Ghent, will not become a cardinal after all, as was announced at the end of May. Van Looy asked Pope Francis for a so-called dispensation from his cardinalate and the Pope accepted. That is what the Belgian bishops' conference said in a press release on Thursday. The news of his appointment as cardinal drew a lot of criticism, because he is said to not always have acted decisively enough against abuse in a pastoral relationship.

"In order to prevent victims of such abuse from being hurt once again by his cardinalate, Monsignor Van Looy has asked Pope Francis to exempt him from accepting the appointment as cardinal," the bishops' conference said.

President of the Belgian Bishops' Conference Cardinal Jozef De Kesel and the Belgian bishops "appreciate Monsignor Van Looy's decision". They reiterate their commitment to continue the fight against all forms of abuse in the Catholic clergy.

Luc Van Looy will turn 81 later this year. From 2004 to 2019, he was the 30th bishop of the diocese of Ghent. Van Looy is a Salesian and was born in Tielen.

(KOR)

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Luc Van Looy © BELGA PHOTO ERIC LALMAND