“With God’s help we must work to continue to eradicate abuse from all corners of our Church,” McKnight added while also asking the faithful to “please join me in prayer for all who are left in pain and confusion when a trusted leader abuses their position of sacred trust and power for sinful purposes.”
The investigation into the abuse of the sacrament of confession began on April 15, 2022, after the victim notified the diocese through an abuse hotline. The Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith oversaw and approved the decree finding Medina guilty on Nov. 27, 2023.
According to the diocesan statement, Medina chose not to appeal the decision and the window for appealing has now closed, meaning the punishments are permanent.
The diocese explained that the penalties imposed on Medina, which are effective immediately, will permanently ban him from hearing confessions and from celebrating or concelebrating Mass publicly without the explicit permission of his bishop. He also can never hold an office within the Church again.
McKnight said that he met with Medina and “informed him he will not be allowed to celebrate or concelebrate Mass publicly except for funeral Masses of his immediate family, at the gathering of priests at their annual conference in October, and at the Chrism Mass during Holy Week.”
Jacob Luecke, a representative for the diocese, told CNA that the decision to allow Medina to retain his priestly faculties and continue to receive retirement support from the Church was made by the Vatican, not the diocese.
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