Pope Francis and the Congregation for the Doctrine have signed a decree expelling priest Mansour Labaky from the ranks of the clergy. This decision was announced on Tuesday, September 27 through a press release by the Council of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops in Lebanon regarding the expulsion of two Maronite priests, Mansour Labaky and Georges Badr from the ranks of the clergy. . The decree, signed at the request of the archbishop of Beirut, Boulos Abdel Sater, is expected to be distributed to parish priests and ecclesiastical institutions.
According to the first decree published in 2012, the Congregation for the Doctrine found Father Labaky guilty of "sexually abusing three minors" between 1976 and 1997 and was sentenced to withdraw from his life. prayer and penance for life, no Mass, no confession, no spiritual guidance, no voice in the press, no contact with victims.
Pope Francis: "A priest cannot continue to be a priest if he is an attacker"
“The decision of French justice has an impact”
Demanded by victims for many years, this decision comes less than a year after the perpetrator was convicted in absentia by a French court on November 9, 2021, who was sentenced to 15 years in prison for rape. and sexual assault of minors. At that time cases from 1989-1997 were heard by the criminal court of Calvados in Caen, then the courts in Paris and Douvres-la-Délivrande (Calvados), where the litigant operated a victim reception center. Young victims of the war in Lebanon – mostly orphans – until the center closed in 1998.
Céleste Akiki, grandson of priest Mansour Labaky, said: “This sentence has had a very strong impact on the decision to expel Father Mansour from the ranks of the clergy. If French justice hadn't condemned it, the Vatican probably wouldn't have gone this far," she was one of the first to denounce the priest ten years ago, for sexual assaults and rapes that, as a child, small she had to suffer.
David against Goliath
“I feel relieved after more than forty years of carrying this burden,” said Ms. Akiki. That's just justice. What you are deprived of now is nothing compared to what you have taken from our lives.”
Now 82 years old, Father Mansour Labaky has long been famous for his role in the war in Lebanon, working to help orphans. “We didn't realize how famous and powerful he was at the time,” continued Ms. Akiki. As a teenager, I asked myself, 'Who will believe me?' Even in 2011 when I testified before Church authorities, people told me: 'There is nothing you can do against the spirit. that item, you are untouchable'. Luckily for us, the victims and I acted on conscience. But it took years of hardship, being attacked, slandered, threatened. It is David against Goliath, and before us is the great Mansour Labaky.”
Céleste Akiki said: “My thoughts are with all the victims, I hope this decision is a comfort to let them know their words matter, their testimony is very important.”
Another Lebanese priest, George Badr, was similarly punished, the Maronite bishops' press release stated: “We pray for the victims of sexual abuse and for our brothers. are Georges and Mansour, hopefully this decision saves them.”
Translated by Joseph Nguyen Tung Lam