Bogotá, Colombia, Jul 6, 2007 / 09:54 am
The Archdiocese of Bogota has issued a press release saying it is awaiting a definitive verdict in the case of Father Fernando Pineros Rocha, who was initially found guilty of sexual abuse and sentenced to 46 months in prison.
The statement stressed that the archdiocese seeks the truth about the case and that after learning of the initial verdict, it “awaits the definitive ruling” after all the appeals have been processed.
The archdiocese said it “repudiates and profoundly laments all acts against the life and dignity of the human person.” “We reaffirm once again that priests, as citizens, are subject to Colombian and Church laws and are responsible before them for their own actions.”
The statement indicated that in the wake of the initial verdict, the Church Tribunal would follow up with its own canonical process.