A Catholic priest was stripped of his parish assignment amid allegations that he had an affair with a married woman.
In a statement issued May 6, Archbishop Florentino Lavarias of San Fernando said the move was made while a church investigation is ongoing.
“Given the sensitive nature of the matter, and as a preliminary move, the archdiocese has resolved to remove the priest from his parish assignment,” Lavarias said.
The archdiocese, he said, “reserves the right to take appropriate actions as a more thorough investigation progresses, after the receipt of a formal complaint from the concerned party”.
A video went viral this week of a furious man confronting a priest for allegedly coveting his wife.
The archdiocese did not identify the priest in its statement. It instead appealed to respect the privacy and rights of the parties concerned.
Lavarias said that they continue to reach out to both parties “as they seek to deal with this sensitive and complex issue with divine guidance and in the most Christian way possible”.
He also assured that the local Church will utilize all efforts to ferret out the truth and offer pastoral guidance and support.
The archbishop also invited everyone to respond on the issue with an “introspective concern and earnest prayers”.
