Father José Justo Illarraz has been expelled from the clerical state by Pope Francis. A tribunal had previously found him guilty of abusing seven minor seminary students, sentencing him to 25 years in prison. Illarraz, now 65, is currently under house arrest with an electronic ankle bracelet in Paraná, Argentina, awaiting the Supreme Court’s decision on his appeal. The case was investigated by the Interdiocesan Tribunal of Buenos Aires and then referred to the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which recommended to the Pope that Illarraz be expelled from the priesthood. The Diocese of Tucumán deplores these acts and expresses its solidarity with the victims. Illarraz was suspended by the Church in 2012 and later moved to Tucumán, Argentina, where he continued his priestly duties.
Pope Francis Defrocks Argentine Priest Justo Ilarraz Convicted of Child Abuse
ROME — Pope Francis has defrocked Argentine priest Justo Ilarraz, who was convicted in 2016 for the sexual abuse of at least 12 children, Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni announced on Monday.
The decision comes as part of the Vatican’s ongoing efforts to combat the sexual abuse of minors within the Catholic Church, with Francis demonstrating his commitment to holding accountable those who exploit their positions of trust to harm children.
Justo Ilarraz, a 72-year-old priest from the archdiocese of Tucumán in Argentina, was first accused of abusing children in the 1980s and 1990s. Despite the allegations, he continued to serve as a priest until 2015, when he was finally suspended from his pastoral duties pending investigation.
In 2016, Ilarraz was convicted by an Argentine court and sentenced to 16 years in prison for sexually abusing at least 12 children, some as young as 6 years old. He was also ordered to pay restitution to his victims.
After his conviction, the Vatican opened its own canonical investigation into Ilarraz’s actions, resulting in the decree issued by Pope Francis, which defrocks Ilarraz and "delivers him to the civil power for the application of just penalties and the protection of the people," according to the Vatican spokesperson.
Vatican defrocking procedures, known as laicization, involve the formal dismissal of a priest from the clerical state, stripping him of his ministerial faculties and barring him from presenting himself or acting as a cleric.
The case of Justo Ilarraz highlights the long-standing challenge of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church and the need for greater transparency, accountability, and support for survivors of abuse. While there have been attempts at reform in recent years, critics argue that much more needs to be done to address the systemic issues that have allowed such crimes to continue.
Pope Francis, who has himself been criticized for his handling of certain abuse cases, has stated his desire to create a " synergies of responsibilities" in the church to better protect children and hold accountable those who would harm them. The defrocking of Justo Ilarraz is a step in that direction, demonstrating the Vatican’s commitment to reckoning with its past and working towards a safer future for all within the Church.
