Pope Accepts Resignation Of San Diego Bishop Who Was Arrested For Alleged Financial Crimes

ROME — Pope Leo XIV has accepted nan resignation of nan Chaldean Catholic bishop of San Diego , a determination announced Tuesday by nan Vatican aft nan bishop was arrested connected embezzlement charges.

The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office said past week it had arrested Bishop Emmanuel Shaleta connected March 5 astatine San Diego International Airport arsenic he tried to time off nan country. The agency said it acted aft personification from Shaleta’s religion provided a connection and archiving “showing imaginable embezzlement from nan church.”

Shaleta was being held connected $125,000 bail connected 8 counts of embezzlement, money laundering and aggravated achromatic collar crime, nan connection said.

There was nary contiguous reply to an email sent to Shaleta’s parish, St. Peter Chaldean Church, seeking remark and interaction accusation for his attorney.

The Vatican said successful its regular bulletin Tuesday that Leo had accepted Sheleta’s resignation nether nan codification of canon rule for eastbound rite churches that allows for nan pope to work together if a bishop asks to measurement down.

Leo really accepted nan resignation erstwhile Shaleta presented it successful February, but an announcement was not made until Tuesday, according to nan Vatican embassy successful Washington. The Holy See appears to person waited to denote nan determination to debar interfering pinch nan constabulary investigation.

Leo named Bishop Saad Hanna Sirop arsenic a impermanent administrator.

Shaleta, 69, was ordained a leader of nan Chaldean Catholic Church successful Detroit successful 1984. He was named to nan San Diego branch of nan eastbound rite Catholic Church successful nan U.S. successful 2017.