Croatian Catholic Church Delays Action on Vatican‑Confirmed Abusive Priest

A priest of the Požega diocese, identified as I. Ž., has been accused of sexually abusing a minor for more than 25 years, beginning in the early 2000s and continuing through his studies at the theological seminary in Đakovo. The Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith concluded its investigation in 2025, confirming the priest’s guilt and instructing the Croatian Bishops' Conference (HBK) to impose a canonical penalty. Despite the clear finding, the HBK has not issued a final decision months after receiving the Vatican’s directive, prompting criticism and questions about why the priest was not suspended earlier.

Civil authorities, including the State Attorney’s Office in Zagreb, have also opened criminal investigations. The case was first reported publicly by Dnevnik.hr after the victim disclosed the abuse to Cardinal Christoph Schönborn in Vienna, who informed Croatian bishops in 2018. High‑ranking church officials such as retired Bishop Antun Škvorčević and Archbishop Dražen Kutleša have been involved in the internal handling of the matter, but the lack of a decisive response remains a point of contention.