Józef Wesołowski

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.

 References 

 Other websites 
 Profile at Catholic-Hierarchy

Category:1948 births
Category:2015 deaths
Category:Ambassadors of Poland
Category:Polish Roman Catholic bishops
Category:Catholic Church sexual abuse scandals