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Spanish Cardinal Cristóbal López Romero, SDB, Archbishop of Rabat, Morocco, said Monday that he will temporarily step back from public ministry, amid a Vatican investigation into allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior toward at least five women.

Meanwhile, a priest who is the cardinal’s cousin has appeared to confirm the veracity of the allegations in a newspaper column, and said the cardinal is privately prepared to lose his rank as a consequence.

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“During this period of investigation, so as not to hinder it, I will take a step back, not presiding over any public celebration, and not intervening in any pastoral activity,” López Romero said in a July 6 statement.

López Romero said the accusations “led the Church to open a preliminary investigation. This investigation is ongoing and is being conducted by Roman authorities, with which I am cooperating.”

López Romero, 74, was born in Almería, Spain and ordained a priest for the Salesian order, serving as a missionary and provincial superior for decades in Latin America. He was appointed by Pope Francis Archbishop of Rabat in 2017 by, and created a cardinal in 2019.

AFP reported July 7 that five adult women filed complaints against the cardinal but

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