Pope Francis Promotes Vatican's Former Sex Crimes Prosecutor Charles Scicluna To Archbishop Of Malta

Pope Francis Gives Vatican's Former Sex Crimes Prosecutor A Big Promotion
Maltese bishop Charles Scicluna of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith speaks to the press prior a press conference ahead of the 'Towards Healing and Renewal', a symposium for Catholic bishops on February 3, 2012 in Rome. The symposium on seuxal abuse of minors will take place at the Pontifical Gregoriana university of Rome from February 6 to 9, 2012. AFP PHOTO / ANDREAS SOLARO (Photo credit should read ANDREAS SOLARO/AFP/Getty Images)
Maltese bishop Charles Scicluna of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith speaks to the press prior a press conference ahead of the 'Towards Healing and Renewal', a symposium for Catholic bishops on February 3, 2012 in Rome. The symposium on seuxal abuse of minors will take place at the Pontifical Gregoriana university of Rome from February 6 to 9, 2012. AFP PHOTO / ANDREAS SOLARO (Photo credit should read ANDREAS SOLARO/AFP/Getty Images)

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis has named the Vatican's former sex crimes prosecutor, Charles Scicluna, as archbishop of his native Malta.

The Vatican announcement Friday made clear that Scicluna would continue dealing with the abuse scandal, heading a Vatican committee to hear appeals of priests sanctioned for molesting minors.

Scicluna was named auxiliary bishop of Malta in 2012 after a decade in Rome prosecuting abuse cases. He effectively took over running the Malta archdiocese last year after the incumbent retired.

When he left Rome, Vatican watchers wondered if the tough line on abuse that he had championed would go soft, and if he was being punished for having done his job too well.

Francis has vowed "zero tolerance" for abusers, and Scicluna's promotion indicates the pope thinks highly of him.

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