Vatican Protests French Court Ruling on Former Official's Liability for Nun's Dismissal

Rome, May 15, 2023 (AP) - The Holy See has lodged a formal protest with France following a ruling by a French court that found a former high-ranking Vatican official responsible for the wrongful dismissal of a nun from a religious order.

According to reports from French media, the Lorient tribunal issued a ruling in support of the nun, Sabine de la Valette, who was known as Mother Marie Ferréol at the time. She was compelled to resign from the Dominicans of the Holy Spirit, her religious order, subsequent to an investigation by the Vatican.

Vatican's Response and Investigation

In response, the Vatican, in a statement released on Saturday, stated that although it had not been officially notified of the verdict, it considered the ruling to be a serious infringement on the right to religious freedom. It was confirmed that Pope Francis had entrusted Cardinal Marc Ouellet, then head of the Vatican’s bishops’ office, with an investigation that led to a series of canonical measures against Valette, culminating in her expulsion after 34 years as a nun in the order.

Legal and Diplomatic Implications

The Vatican's statement also raised concerns about potential diplomatic issues due to Ouellet’s immunity as a cardinal and official of a foreign government, noting that the Holy See is internationally recognized as a sovereign state.

As per the French Catholic daily La Croix, the Lorient court decreed that the nun's expulsion was unjustified and ordered Ouellet, the religious order, and other defendants to pay over 200,000 euros ($213,000) in material and moral damages, in addition to fines. The defendants have filed an appeal against the ruling, as reported by La Croix.

Vatican's Internal Investigations and Secular Intrusion

The Vatican frequently conducts internal investigations into religious orders or dioceses, often prompted by allegations of financial mismanagement, sexual or other abuses, and governance problems. These measures are considered to be exclusively internal to the Catholic Church. The Lorient court's decision was seen as an unusual intrusion of secular justice into internal church matters, prompting the diplomatic protest by the Holy See.

French Justice and Church Officials

The French justice system's willingness to pursue legal action against high-ranking church officials is evident, particularly in comparison to Italy. This is especially notable concerning allegations related to clergy sexual misconduct and cover-up.