A 27-year-old priest, Rev. Vicente López-Brea, overseeing multiple parishes in Jaca, faces accusations of engaging in homosexual activities and deceit, despite negative evaluations and underage alcohol consumption. His controversial past was exposed by a journalist, who now faces legal repercussions for alleged homophobia. Church authorities seemingly ignored evidence contradicting López-Brea's priestly vocation, highlighting broader political and ethical issues within the Zaragoza Catholic Church.
As this scandal unfolds, it underscores the ongoing struggle between tradition and modern ethical standards within the church, raising significant questions about accountability and faith. The trial of October 2023 was posponed, but it promises to reveal more about this intricate case, when it takes place. This information you are reading was sent to law firm Cremades & Calvo-Sotelo during their 2023 investigation commissioned by the College of Bishops.
[This information was sent to law firm Cremades & Calvo-Sotelo during their 2023 investigation commissioned by the College of Bishops. Since then, López-Brea has escalated to prominent public positions with the influence of his bishop and the president of the Autonomous Region of Aragon. In a shift of circumstances, Cremades & Calvo-Sotelo has since supported López-Brea's career and now leads the persecution of the journalist, a subject that will be explored in Part 2 of Niche 3.]
Have a Good Read.
The Editor at Jacques Pintor
A REPORT ON FIVE NICHES OF ABUSES THAT SEEM TO HAVE NOT BEEN INVESTIGATED. THEY HAVE BEEN CONCEALED BY THE DIOCESES. (3.1. of 5)
AUTHOR: JORDI PICAZO SALOMÓ, BA (Hons), MA, MCIJ, PGCE, a Member of The Chartered Institute of Journalists, UK. Member of the Il.lustre Col.legi de Periodistes de Catalunya. Member of the RNA (Religion News Association, US)
TO THE LAW FIRM “CREMADES & CALVO-SOTELO”
MADRID, SEPTEMBER 12, 2023
This article was first published on 14 June 2024.
IN THIS POST:
1. Insightful Q&A
2. Three more posts will contain the following sections
3. About This Series of 5 Posts by our Team Member Journalist Jordi Picazo
To Be Continued1. Scandal: Priest's Double Life, Spanish Church Cover Up. Insightful Q&A
Q1: Who is the central figure in this story?
A1: The central figure is Rev. Vicente López-Brea, a 27-year-old priest from Zaragoza who oversees over 15 parishes in the Jaca region and has a controversial past involving frequenting a gay sex club and consuming alcohol as a minor.
Q2: What are the main accusations against Rev. Vicente López-Brea?
A2: He is accused of engaging in homosexual activities, lying about his behavior, and deceiving his superiors. Despite negative evaluations, he was ordained and now works with children, which raises concerns about his suitability for the role.
Q3: How did López-Brea's controversial past come to light?
A3: The controversy arose from a journalist's investigation that uncovered López-Brea's frequent visits to a gay sex club since he was 17, even before entering the seminary. This journalist is now facing legal repercussions for allegedly homophobic content.
Q4: What legal actions have been taken against the journalist?
A4: The journalist, who revealed López-Brea's past, has been sued for homophobia. The legal process has lasted over 15 months, with demands to remove web entries about López-Brea and facing potential imprisonment, a significant fine, and frozen bank accounts.
Q5: How have the church authorities responded to these allegations?
A5: Church authorities, including the bishop who ordained López-Brea, have seemingly ignored evidence of his behavior that contradicts his priestly vocation. There are implications of broader political issues within the Zaragoza Catholic Church.
Q6: What broader issues does this case highlight within the church?
A6: The case sheds light on alleged financial improprieties and power dynamics involving prominent church figures like Cardinal Omella and Jesuit Arana, alongside fears within the church to confront these issues.
Q7: What are the potential consequences for the church if these issues are not addressed?
A7: There is a call for these concerns to be addressed before significant church events, such as the upcoming conferral of the "Palio" to Archbishop Carlos Escribano in Zaragoza. Failure to do so could undermine the church's credibility and authority.
Q8: What are the next steps in the legal process involving the journalist and López-Brea?
A8: The trial is set for October 2023 in Huesca. Preliminary hearings have already seen the attendance of López-Brea's ex-boyfriend, who is also being sued. The journalist intends to call several church officials as witnesses to reveal the truth.
Q9: How does this story fit into the larger context of the Catholic Church's struggles with similar issues?
A9: This case is part of a broader pattern of controversies within the Catholic Church involving sexual misconduct and the subsequent handling of such cases by church authorities. It highlights the ongoing tension between maintaining church traditions and addressing modern ethical standards.
2.- Three more posts will contain the following sections
Updates to this report can be pursued through its author at jordipicazosalomo@gmail.com
#3.- A YOUNG HOMOSEXUAL PRIEST IN THE DIOCESE OF HUESCA -JACA
LETTER FROM JORDI PICAZO TO THE BISHOP OF HUESCA-JACA
4.- DIOCESE OF BARCELONA. MARISTS BROTHERS IN MATARÓ, BARCELONA. MARIST BROTHER, CONDE
A RECENT CONVERSATION BETWEEN JOURNALIST JORDI PICAZO AND ABUSE VICTIMS IN THE MARISTS BROS. SCHOOL OF MATARÓ
THE CHANGING HERMENEUTICS IN THE FIELD OF SEXUAL ABUSE IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
FIRST COMPLAINTS OF THE MATARÓ CASE, IN DEAD-END
5.- OMELLA AND THE "LONGINOS CASE", A PRIEST ALLEGEDLY A RAPIST
LONGINOS SERVED IN A PARISH IN BARCELONA, BADALONA, AND SANT JOAN DE LES ABADESES
PRESS ATTACK ON CREMADES-CALVO SOTELO AND OPUS DEI IN “RELIGIONDIGITAL COM”
3.- About This Series of 5 Posts by our Team Member Journalist Jordi Picazo
On July 7th, I submitted a dossier to the Cremades - Calvo-Sotelo law firm, which I have titled "Five Nests of Crimes Related to Sexual Freedom and Integrity, as well as Evidence Pointing to Those Who Conceal Them." This compilation synthesizes my investigative work since 2019 on five cases that directly and markedly implicate Cardinal Juan José Omella. It's essential to note that the primary concealers of these crimes are Cardinal Archbishop of Barcelona, Juan José Omella, and his predecessor cardinals. Among them, the only living one is the emeritus Cardinal Lluís Martínez Sistach, who, according to public sources and based on a study by Professor Rodríguez, is the utmost responsible party in this context. Also implicated in this veil of concealment is Monsignor Jordi Bertomeu, the Pope's delegate for pedophilia investigations, notably in Chile and recently in Peru.
It should be underscored that this situation doesn't astonish us. As I've reiterated on multiple occasions, "El País" newspaper includes these individuals in its list of concealers, both in an article published on its website and in a report personally delivered to Pope Francis at the Vatican by a reporter from the mentioned outlet. According to this information, Cardinal Omella himself is on that list. This information leads us to the unavoidable conclusion that, even though the current Pope is aware of the situation, no action has been taken. Within this context, it is particularly alarming that Omella continues to be Pope Francis's delegate in Spain, tasked with addressing this severe issue.
My aim isn't to be insular but the very opposite: to contribute, within my means, to thorough investigation. I aim to surpass the apparent hypocrisy of those who have entrusted this task to the Firm, suspecting that, swayed by certain sectarian interests, they might want to limit the investigation, especially due to media pressure from platforms like "Religión Digital." I provide in the webography section an extensive list of articles from "Religión Digital" attacking the Cremades - Calvo Sotelo Firm in a grotesque manner.
I'd like to emphasize that my work isn't a mere whim, as I face three trials in October. I've been sued by a young priest, involved in activities contradictory to his ordination and linked to the regular practice of wild sex, contemporaneously to his actions to enter the seminary, in gay sex exchange dens. I identify these with names, addresses, and social networks where information was exchanged post these acts. In this document, I discuss it and reproduce letters sent to the Nuncio, his bishop, and the Aragón abuse prevention office, since, ordained less than five years ago, he is in charge of children from 15 parishes in the Jaca region. There has been no response.
Despite my warnings and complaints to ecclesiastical authorities, including the Nuncio and the bishop, no action has been taken. My accounts have been precautionarily embargoed, and severe penalties have been proposed for alleged damages caused. Meanwhile, the priest in question continues to perform numerous ecclesiastical and public functions. I respect and adhere to the ethical codes of my profession; he, on the other hand, seems to have breached the Catholic Church's private regulations.
Despite the prosecutor's view that sees my actions as highlighting the Church's double standards without committing a crime, the judiciary has been less lenient. My professional, social, and family life has been adversely impacted, and my family's safety jeopardized. However, I remain steadfast in my desire to defend parents' rights to educate their children, the rights of the Catholic Church, and the integrity of my profession.
This document is thorough, and its table of contents is crucial to facilitate its reading. Its purpose is to highlight certain actions by Cardinal Archbishop of Barcelona, Juan José Omella, which could be subject to both civil and canonical complaints. My interest isn't derived from personal feelings towards the cardinal but a natural response to actions that harm individuals' life and integrity. I don't intend for this document to be interpreted as a formal complaint but rather as a means to shed light on what remains hidden. The ultimate goal is to thoroughly investigate these areas and determine any criminal responsibility of Cardinal Omella. While some lawyers might see these efforts as futile, I insist on the importance of unveiling the truth and demanding justice.
Jordi Picazo, BA (Hons), MA, PGCE, MCIJ
To be continued.
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