In the province of Córdoba, a 58-year-old priest was detained for sexual abuse of a 46-year-old woman. The accused is a parish priest of the Schoenstatt congregation. According to local media, the incident took place in the personal office of the defendant on the Schoenstatt premises. Following the victim's complaint, the man was arrested last Saturday and is currently in custody.
The Prosecutor's Office for Crimes against Sexual Integrity in Córdoba, led by Juan Ávila Echenique, arrested the priest and charged him with qualified aggravated sexual abuse by virtue of his ministry. The Provincial Superior of the congregation, Pablo Javier Pol, issued a statement confirming the complaint and expressing his support for the complainant. The statement also emphasizes the commitment to transparency and calls for the protection of the Virgin Mary for all those affected.
Patricio Cruz Viale, the detained priest accused of abusing the parishioner, holds a doctorate in Moral Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. Additionally, he has written several books on spiritual reflection such as "Mercy" and "The Light of the Word: Light in the Pandemic."
