FORMER Trnava archbishop Róbert Bezák met with Pope Francis on June 25 after the general audience in the Vatican which involved about 30 bishops. He, however, failed to receive a personal meeting for which he asked.
During the short meeting Bezák gave the pope a letter, the SITA newswire reported.
Bezák was officially removed as archbishop on July 2, 2012, upon publication of an announcement in L’Osservatore Romano, the official daily newspaper of the Vatican. The Conference of Slovak Bishops (KBS) followed with a short statement: “Based on an apostolic visitation which took place between January 22 and February 1, 2012, the Holy Father recalled Róbert Bezák from pastoral management of the Trnava Archdiocese. We accept the decision of the Holy Father in the spirit of faith and filial obedience and we are asking for blessings for the Church in Slovakia.”
Both the Vatican and the Slovak bishops refused to explain the reasons for the decision and Bezák was forbidden from discussing the issue publicly.
The case stirred wide public and media attention. At the end of 2013 Bezák moved to Italy.
Source: SITA
Compiled by Radka Minarechová from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
