Bishop praised by Pope Francis disputes court ruling on abuse case

By Ahmet Gencturk

ATHENS (AA) – A bishop praised by Pope Francis has disputed a court’s ruling that he failed to exercise proper oversight of a priest who was convicted of sexual abuse, Italian media reported.

In relation to the recent explanation by the court on the case of Father Giuseppe Rugolo, a former religion teacher who was sentenced in March by a court in the Sicilian city of Enna to four years and six months for sexual violence and attempted sexual violence against minors, Rosario Gisana claimed he did not facilitate the predatory activity of anyone in an interview with the La Stampa daily.

The incidents addressed in the case occurred before his installation as bishop in Piazza Armerina in 2014, he said.

Legal proceedings were initiated following a complaint lodged by Antonio Messina, now 30 years old, who accused Rugolo of sexually abusing him between 2009 and 2013, according to the ANSA news agency.

After careful deliberation, the court in Enna found Rugolo guilty of sexual abuse of children.

Rugolo has also been permanently banned from teaching in school and from holding public office for five years.

In 2020, Messina wrote a letter to Pope Francis, reporting the abuse and demanding justice, and subsequently reported it to law enforcement.

Rugolo was first arrested in 2021 following the allegations against him and was later placed under house arrest.