Rabat archdiocese gets coadjutor after allegations against cardinal
Pope Leo XIV named Msgr. Mario León Dorado, OMI, coadjutor Archbishop of Rabat following sexual misconduct allegations against Cardinal Cristóbal López Romero. López Romero had stepped down temporarily, requested a coadjutor from Pope Francis and later from Pope Leo, and is awaiting investigation by the Dicastery for the Evangelization of Peoples. León Dorado, already apostolic prefect of Western Sahara, will serve as apostolic administrator and coadjutor, accepting the role with humility and confidence in God. The appointment comes while the Vatican investigation into López Romero is underway, and he remains in a provisional leadership role. León Dorado has been serving in the region for over 20 years and was ordained in 2001.
17 days ago
Pope Leo XIV has appointed Msgr. Mario León Dorado, OMI, as coadjutor Archbishop of Rabat while a Vatican investigation examines sexual-misconduct allegations against Cardinal Cristóbal López Romero. León Dorado had already been serving as apostolic administrator of the archdiocese and as apostolic prefect of Western Sahara.
The appointment was announced on September 12, after López Romero temporarily stepped back from diocesan responsibilities in July. León Dorado had been named apostolic administrator sede plena in August, and the Dicastery for the Evangelization of Peoples subsequently ordered an apostolic visitation of the archdiocese.
López Romero said he had requested a coadjutor before the allegations became public. According to his account, he first raised the matter with Pope Francis at the end of 2024 and renewed the request with Pope Leo in October 2025; he said Leo had now accepted it.
The appointment nonetheless coincided with the Holy See’s investigation into the allegations against López Romero. The cardinal’s September 12 letter did not describe the accusations, but said he was still waiting to be heard by the Dicastery for the Evangelization of Peoples and that the investigation was the reason he had withdrawn from diocesan life.
León Dorado said he accepted the assignment with both confidence and apprehension, describing it as a service requested by God and the Church.
Five women have reportedly made complaints about López Romero’s conduct during his leadership of the archdiocese. The allegations include claims by three women that he engaged in inappropriate behavior during the sacrament of penance.
The first complaints were reportedly submitted to the Moroccan nunciature by a retired diocesan collaborator and another woman who provided written testimony. One account described prolonged hugs, unwanted physical gestures and what the woman characterized as an attempted kiss.
López Romero has denied committing “any acts of sexual aggression, violence or harassment.” He has said that he answered to his ecclesiastical superiors and would fully cooperate with the investigation.
The article also reports that a priest identifying himself as López Romero’s cousin initially wrote that neither the cardinal nor his family would seek to conceal the truth, but later said that his own interpretations had been treated by some outlets as a preliminary conviction.
León Dorado announced the apostolic visitation on August 4, shortly after becoming administrator. Its stated purposes were to investigate the allegations against López Romero and assess the archdiocese’s economic, pastoral and liturgical administration.
The visitation was conducted by Msgr. Hyacinthe Dione and Father Augustin Chako-Yodi, officials of the Dicastery for Evangelization. Members of the archdiocesan advisory councils, priests, religious and laypeople involved in diocesan management could be interviewed, either at the visitors’ request or on their own initiative.
The report says the investigation was still at a preliminary stage. It also notes that a Spanish publication reported that officials of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith were unaware of an investigation involving López Romero, while leaving open the possibility that the case had not yet reached that dicastery.
The allegations involving confession could potentially fall under the canonical offense of solicitation, which the article identifies as reserved to the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. Possible penalties described include removal from ecclesiastical office, suspension from priestly ministry or laicization if López Romero were found guilty.
León Dorado was born in Madrid in 1974, entered the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, made perpetual vows in 1996 and was ordained a priest in 2001. He began ministry in the Spanish Diocese of Jaén before moving to Western Sahara, where he has served since 2004.
He became administrator of the Apostolic Prefecture of Western Sahara in 2009, and Pope Francis appointed him apostolic prefect in 2013 without ordaining him a bishop. The territory has about 350 Catholics, four priests and two parishes spread across approximately 165,000 square miles.
In a 2022 article, León Dorado described missionary life as involving small communities, long journeys and close relationships with Muslim neighbors. He emphasized simplicity, humility and perseverance while also expressing doubts about large-scale interfaith gatherings and raising concerns about the lack of reciprocity in religious freedom in Muslim-majority societies.
López Romero, 74, has led the Archdiocese of Rabat since 2017 and was named a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2019. The archdiocese serves roughly 20,000 Catholics in 18 parishes, and Morocco had not previously had a cardinal.
A Spanish Salesian, López Romero was ordained in 1979 and spent much of his career as a missionary and provincial superior in Latin America. He served in Morocco from 2003 to 2010 and was Salesian provincial in Bolivia from 2011 to 2014 before returning briefly to Spain.
He was publicly associated with support for the Synod on Synodality and Fiducia supplicans. In a 2025 interview, he also described strict adherence to canon-law norms as important but secondary to the Church’s broader mission.
Assess Vatican’s response to sexual misconduct allegations in archdioceses
The Vatican’s response appears institutionally prudent but not yet sufficient to establish accountability. Appointing a coadjutor Archbishop of Rabat after allegations against the sitting cardinal can protect diocesan governance, provide independent oversight, and reassure Catholics that ordinary administration will continue. However, the appointment itself neither proves the allegations nor substitutes for a transparent canonical and civil investigation.
The diocesan bishop ordinarily has the first responsibility for responding to allegations, protecting victims, investigating, and applying canon law while observing civil law. For the most serious cases involving minors, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith has competence under the applicable norms, and precautionary restrictions may be imposed during the investigation.
A proper response must balance four duties:
The appointment of a coadjutor is a meaningful governance measure rather than merely a public-relations statement. It can:
This is consistent with the Church’s recognition that bishops themselves must be held to effective responsibility when allegations arise, rather than allowing review bodies to replace proper ecclesial authority.
The response remains incomplete unless the Vatican clarifies:
The supplied material principally addresses sexual abuse of minors by clerics. It therefore does not permit a firm judgment about the Rabat allegations if they concern a different form of misconduct. Nor does the appointment alone demonstrate that the Vatican has fully met its obligations.
The Vatican’s intervention is a credible first safeguard, but not a complete response. Its adequacy will depend on what follows: prompt investigation, cooperation with civil authorities, meaningful protection and care for complainants, fair treatment of the accused, and transparent accountability for any proven failure of leadership. A change in diocesan leadership can restore confidence only when accompanied by a process that is both just and visibly independent.