(OSV News) — A Spanish missionary priest has been appointed apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Rabat while its archbishop, Cardinal Cristóbal López Romero, faces abuse allegations, the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate announced.

Msgr. Mario León Dorado, a Spanish priest who serves as apostolic prefect of Western Sahara, was named to temporarily lead the archdiocese while the Catholic Church investigates accusations that Cardinal López, who has led Rabat since 2018., has been “inappropriate” toward adult women.

The appointment was announced Aug. 2 by the Oblates in a statement on its Facebook page. However, the Vatican had not issued a formal announcement on the appointment.

‘Let us accompany him with our prayers’

“We are pleased to announce that the Holy See has appointed Msgr. Mario León Dorado, OMI, as Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese of Rabat, Morocco,” the statement read. “Entrusted with this responsibility by the Holy Father, he will serve the local Church in Rabat in communion with and at the discretion of the Holy See. Let us accompany him with our prayers as he undertakes this new mission!”

Cardinal Lopez announced July 8 he would “take a step back” from pastoral duties and that he was cooperating with the investigation after being “accused of inappropriate behavior toward adult women.”

“This event shakes us all. As archbishop, I am fully aware of the difficulties this causes and the legitimate questions it might raise for everyone. Therefore, I want the members of the diocesan community to be informed starting now,” he said. 

The accusations were first made public after an investigation by French news agency Agence-France Presse, which included an allegation by one woman that the Spanish cardinal made “an attempt at physical intimacy that could be likened to an attempt” to kiss her. 

Woman submitted formal complaint in May

According to AFP, the woman submitted a formal complaint in May to the apostolic nunciature in Morocco and that the archdiocese was made aware of at least five similar accusations. 

In a response to the French agency, Cardinal Lopez denied the allegations and said that he did not commit “assault nor violence nor sexual harassment.”

However, an anonymous source within the archdiocese told AFP that there was “a culture of complicity and silence” and claimed that people close to the cardinal protected him and knew of similar behavior when he served as a Salesian missionary in Paraguay, Bolivia and Spain. 

Cardinal Lopez asked for prayers and encouraged Catholics to reach out to their parish priests “if you wish to express yourself or discuss” the allegations. 

“While awaiting the decisions that will be made by the Church, let us pray together for those who are suffering from this situation, let us pray for our Church, let us pray for one another, and pray for me,” he said.

Junno Arocho Esteves is an international correspondent for OSV News. Follow him on X @jae_journalist.