Józef Wesołowski

His Excellency Józef Wesołowski
Apostolic Nuncio Emeritus to the Dominican Republic
Church	Roman Catholic Church
In office	2008–2013
Orders
Ordination	21 May 1972 by Karol Wojtyła
Consecration	3 November 2000 by Pope John Paul II
Laicized	2014
Personal details
Birth name	Józef Wesołowski
Born	(1948-07-15)July 15, 1948 Nowy Targ, Poland
Died	August 27, 2015(2015-08-27) (aged 67) Vatican City
Nationality	Polish
Denomination	Roman Catholic

Józef Wesołowski (15 July 1948 – 27 August 2015) was a Polish archbishop and Apostolic Nuncio of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Apostolic Nuncio to several countries and was involved in a significant controversy.

Early life and education

Wesołowski was born in Nowy Targ, Poland. He was ordained as a priest on 21 May 1972 by Karol Wojtyła, who later became Pope John Paul II.

Ecclesiastical career

Wesołowski began his diplomatic career in the Vatican, serving in multiple countries. He was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Bolivia in 1999, and later to several other nations. In 2008, he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to the Dominican Republic.

Scandals and controversies

In 2013, Wesołowski was recalled to Rome after accusations of child sexual abuse surfaced. In 2014, he was found guilty of abuse by a Vatican tribunal and was laicized, meaning he was removed from the clergy. Criminal proceedings against him were ongoing when he died in 2015. His case was notable for being the first time a high-ranking Vatican official was tried for sexual abuse.

Death

Józef Wesołowski died on 27 August 2015 in Vatican City. The official cause of death was a heart attack.

Other websites

• Profile at Catholic-Hierarchy