Pope accepts Bishop Van Looy’s request not to be a cardinal.
Newsroom (21/06/2022 3:15 PM, Gaudium Press) The Belgian Bishops’ Conference reports that Pope Francis has accepted the request made by Most Rev. Luc Van Looy, Bishop Emeritus of Ghent, Belgium, declining to be a Cardinal of the Church.
Bp. Van Looy was one of 21 designated to receive the cardinally purple at the consistory to be held on August 27. Msgr. Van Looy is 80 years old and would not be able to participate in a conclave.
The statement released yesterday by the Belgian episcopate states that “the announcement of the cardinalcy creation of Msgr. Luc Van Looy has elicited many positive reactions, but also criticism for the fact that he would not always have reacted forcefully enough against abuses in the pastoral relationship when he was bishop of Ghent (2004-2020).”
For this reason, and with the intention “that the victims of such abuse not be hurt again because of his cardinalate, Bishop Van Looy asked the Pope to be excused from accepting this appointment. Pope Francis has accepted his request.”
The statement from the Belgian Bishops’ Conference says that both Cardinal De Kesel and the country’s bishops value the request of the bishop emeritus and reaffirm their commitment to “continue imperturbably their fight against all forms of abuse in the Catholic Church.”
Compiled by Gustavo Kralj
