The Argentine court issued a decisive ruling Friday condemning Archbishop Mario Cargnello of Salta, alongside three other clergy members, for their involvement in gender violence against a group of nuns.

The case, which centers around allegations of violence against Carmelite Nuns of the San Bernardo Convent, stemmed from the nuns’ support for devotion to the “Virgen del Cerro” (Virgin of the Hill), a figure not recognized by the Church. Archbishop Cargnello, Bishop Emeritus Martín de Elizalde, Judicial Vicar Loyola Pinto y de Sancristóval and Priest Lucio Ajaya were all found guilty of various forms of violence against the cloistered nuns.

The verdict, delivered by Judge Carolina Cáceres Moreno after the testimony of nearly 20 Carmelite nuns, underscored a pattern of abuse spanning two decades. The accusations ranged from verbal attacks, characterized by insults and threatening remarks, to physical altercations, including alleged cases of shaking and slapping, primarily attributed to Archbishop Cargnello.

Judge Cáceres’s ruling mandated extensive psychological rehabilitation for the accused clergy, aimed at dismantling entrenched behavior patterns and fostering a deeper understanding of gender dynamics. Additionally, they are required to undergo gender awareness training sponsored by the Salta Province Observatory for Violence against Women, with non-compliance risking judicial sanction. Attorney José Viola, representing the aggrieved nuns, hailed the verdict as a bold departure from conventional norms, particularly given Salta’s ecclesiastical stronghold. Speaking to Profesional FM in an interview, he stated:

In the Catholic Church, this was a taboo topic, much like sexual abuse, and now it brings it to the forefront. This piece changes the legal history of the entire world; it is unprecedented and breaks a status quo, as it pertains to a person of great power.

The legal team representing the Archbishopric has expressed its intention to appeal the ruling, asserting that there are no substantive grounds to uphold the restraining orders, given the lack of developments in the case over the past two years. In a statement provided to Cadena 3, a news radio station in Argentina, the Archbishopric’s attorneys stated, “[t]he Justice Department already said that there was no type of crime related to violence. In the next few days, the appeal of the resolution will be presented, which we understand is totally inadequate and contrary to law.”