Toledo priest cleared of accusations after Vatican tribunal finds no wrongdoing
A Spanish priest once accused of undermining the Vatican has been fully cleared by a Church tribunal that found the case lacked any substance from the start.
Father Francisco José Delgado of Toledo, Spain, faced months of scrutiny over controversial accusations before an ecclesiastical court ruled there was no canonical wrongdoing, closing the case officially in early November, as CNA reports.
The story began when Delgado, known for his involvement in the traditionalist YouTube forum “The Sacristy of the Vendée,” became the subject of a double-barreled complaint about alleged slander and Vatican interference.
Accusations Tied to Controversial YouTube Comments
The trouble started on Jan. 30, 2024, when a complaint accused Delgado of defaming José Enrique Escardó, a layman linked to the scandalized Sodality of Christian Life (SCV). The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith joined the chorus just two days later, expressing concern that Delgado was getting in the way of its SCV investigation.
That prompt from Rome lit the spark in Toledo, where Archbishop Francisco Cerro launched a canonical process in June. By that point, Cerro had already silenced Delgado on social media and banned him from publishing, citing prudence after a fellow YouTube priest made an eyebrow-raising prayer for Pope Francis “to go to heaven as soon as possible.”
The tribunal moved quickly. Within one month, the investigation concluded, and the findings began to shift the narrative from incrimination to exoneration.
Church Tribunal Rejects Claims of Harm
On July 28, the tribunal concluded that Delgado hadn't committed a single canonical crime. Not only had he not obstructed the Vatican investigation, but the panel found the SCV’s eventual dissolution proved the Holy See had acted freely and decisively.
On the matter of Mr. Escardó, the accusations unraveled even further. The tribunal wrote plainly, “The facts point to the complete opposite. That is to say, the one who has truly damaged the reputation of the Church and its priests is none other than Mr. Escardó.”
Claims that Escardó had been abused or revictimized couldn’t even pass basic scrutiny, according to the court. “At no point has it been demonstrated that he was a victim of abuse,” it added, calling his behavior “an excuse to defame and slander the Church.”
‘Counterrevolutionary’ Clergy Face Institutional Pushback
Delgado’s association with “The Sacristy of the Vendée” no doubt painted a target on his back from the beginning. The group calls itself “counterrevolutionary,” referring to the French Vendée region where faithful Catholics in 1789 resisted anti-Church radicals.
These YouTube priests make no secret of their traditionalist bent, and in today’s climate of hyper-sensitivity and institutional soft-pedaling, that’s enough to cause panic in some corners. Delgado was standing in the kitchen and got blamed for the fire when someone else lit the match.
As for the Vatican's charge that Delgado tried to interfere in its clean-up of the SCV, the tribunal disagreed sharply. “It is not proven that the comments and actions of Delgado impeded the special mission carried out by the Holy See,” the court stated unequivocally.
Verdict Brings Some Relief After Long Wait
Fortunately for Delgado, the facts won the day. The archdiocesan process, while reportedly murky at first, ultimately arrived at a surprising but overdue conclusion: sometimes the accused really are innocent.
“We must give full credence to what Father Francisco José Delgado and the witnesses have declared,” the ruling said, “and not to what Mr. Escardó supposedly says and accuses.” A rare moment of honesty in official Church language — and one many faithful will find refreshing.
After over a year in the crosshairs, Delgado broke the news himself on Nov. 5, announcing via X that the canonical probe had closed and he was in the clear. He refrained from gloating — gracefully, and probably wisely.
For many watching, the ruling may feel like a vindication, not only of one priest, but of the many who still speak hard truths in a Church too often busy managing optics. Let’s hope more tribunals remember that clarity beats appeasement — every time.
