The Pope accepted the resignation of the bishop accused of sexual abuse

Pope Francis today accepted the resignation of Colombian Bishop Oscar Augusto Munjera, who is mentioned in a book about members of the Colombian Roman Catholic clergy who allegedly committed sexual abuse.

The Vatican said the pope had approved the resignation of Bishop Oscar August Munjera of the diocese of Tierra Adentro in southwestern Colombia. The Vatican’s brief statement did not mention why the bishop resigned from his post.

Munjera was accused of abusing young men in a book published last year by investigative journalists Juan Pablo Barrientos and Miguel Estupinjan, which lists more than 500 Roman Catholic priests suspected of sexual abuse.

However, the Colombian authorities have not yet filed any charges against Munjera.

In an article published in May on the website of the newspaper Religion Digital, Estupinjan alleged that Munjera sexually abused a young man in 2005 when he was a priest in the parish of Santa Rosa de Osos.

Munjera did not comment on the allegations. The Bishops’ Conference of Colombia did not comment on the reasons for Munjera’s resignation.

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