Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, Apostolic Nuncio to the U.S., listens...

Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, Apostolic Nuncio to the U.S., listens to remarks at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' annual fall meeting in Baltimore, Nov. 16, 2015. The Vatican’s former nuncio to the United States, Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, said Thursday, June 20, 2024, he has been summoned by the Vatican to face charges of schism. Credit: AP/Patrick Semansky

VATICAN CITY — The Vatican’s former nuncio to the United States, Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, said on Thursday that he has been summoned by the Vatican to face charges of schism.

The archbishop posted the two-page decree from the Vatican’s Dicastry for the Doctrine of Faith ordering him to appear for extrajudicial trial, citing as evidence “public statements that show a denial of the necessary elements to maintain communion with the Catholic Church.”

It also cited the denial of the legitimacy of Pope Francis, breaking communion with the pontiff, and rejecting Vatican Council II.

Vigano said he regarded the accusations “as an honor.” He restated his rejection of Vatican Council II, calling it “the ideological, theological, moral and liturgical cancer of which the (Francis’) ‘synod church’ is the necessary metastasis.’’

The two-page decree dated June 11 signed by Monsignor John J. Kennedy, secretary of the disciplinary section, said he had until June 28 to respond in person or in writing, or a verdict would be made in his absence.

The retired Vatican ambassador convulsed the Holy See with accusations of sex abuse in 2018, calling on Francis to resign.

Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon Jr. spoke with NewsdayTV's Ken Buffa about what life is like for the Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann in jail. Credit: Anthony Florio; File Footage; Photo Credit: Newsday / James Carbone, John Paraskevas; AP / David Bookstaver, Clark County Sheriff's Office, Richard Drew, Mitchell Tapper, Don Ryan; Peconic River Sportsman’s Club / Kerry Goldberg

'He will be ... coming out of prison in a body bag' Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon Jr. spoke with NewsdayTV's Ken Buffa about what life is like for the Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann in jail.

Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon Jr. spoke with NewsdayTV's Ken Buffa about what life is like for the Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann in jail. Credit: Anthony Florio; File Footage; Photo Credit: Newsday / James Carbone, John Paraskevas; AP / David Bookstaver, Clark County Sheriff's Office, Richard Drew, Mitchell Tapper, Don Ryan; Peconic River Sportsman’s Club / Kerry Goldberg

'He will be ... coming out of prison in a body bag' Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon Jr. spoke with NewsdayTV's Ken Buffa about what life is like for the Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann in jail.

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