The Roman Catholic Church acquitted– and cleared of all wrongdoing– an HIV-positive Mexican priest, Jose Garcia Ataulfo.

This is after he admitted to raping 30 girls and after Pope Francis pledged to remove bishops who acquitted sexual predator priests. And after the Vatican refused a victim’s mother’s request to meet with the pope– stating the matter was closed.

According to Urgente24.com, a Spanish-language news site, only two of more than 24 rape victims came forward to denounce the acquittal. His victims ranged from 5 to 10-year-old children, mostly indigenous from the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca.

Urgente24.com, reported that the Archdiocese of Mexico absolved Jose Garcia Ataulfo of any wrongdoing. And he has not been criminally charged most likely due to the significant influence the Catholic Church wields over Mexican laws and politics.

Sexual abuse of minors by priests is nothing new, nor is the extent to which local archdiocese shield abusive priests from criminal prosecution or young parishioners from predatory priests.

But new laws would enable the Vatican to strip priests of their positions, so why didn’t it for Ataulfo? And why isn’t he in prison?

Article reposted with permission from Constitution.com