An investigation file for alleged sexual abuse on minors, recently opened by Prosecutor of Monza, and a canonical process wanted by the Archbishop of Milan, Monsignor Mario Delpini, Open in February 2024 and which would be on the right of arrival.
These are the two proceedings against Don Samuele Marelli, born in 1976, ordained priest in 2002, director of the Milanese Oratori Foundation (FOM) From 2008 to September 2017 and until May of last year the vicar of “San Giovanni Paolo II” pastoral community of Seregno as well as responsible for the youth pastoral care of the same town in the province of Monza-Brianza which includes six parishes.
The news was anticipated on Thursday by Corriere della Sera While the prosecutor of Monza, Claudio Gittardi, confirmed the opening of the investigation file on which the maximum reserve also exists to protect the victims.
The delicate investigation, so far held in the utmost reserve, has started from the reporting of the families of some young people who attended the Oratory of Seregno. They would have reported inappropriate behavior and harassment suffered by the religious. The first facts traced back to 2018 while the stories started a complaint by the educators of the center themselves.
To inform about the stages of the story, as far as the canonical process is concerned, it was the same Diocese of Milan With a note signed by the communication manager Stefano Femminis: “During the Christmas holidays of December 2023, some reports of not appropriate behaviors came to the diocesan ordinary by Don Marelli – at that time vicar of the pastoral community” San Giovanni Paolo II “, in Seregno (MB) -, compared to his priest ministry and his role as educator. Immediately, as a prudential, he was considered to ask him to move away from Seregno and to suspend any pastoral activity, to then proceed with a verification of these reports, as far as he competes with ecclesiastical authority, According to canonical regulations “, writes the diocese,” in that situation and for what was the information available then, it was not appropriate to publicly communicate the reasons for the removal of Don Marelli, especially to protect the people possibly involved and their families, and the right to good fame “.
From the month of February 2024, The note continues, «the so -called has been started “Previa investigation”, or that phase provided for by the canonical legislation aimed at verifying the actual probability regarding the commission of a canonical crime, whose documents have been sent to Dicastery for the doctrine of faith. In June 2024, according to the indications received from the Holy See, the Lombard regional ecclesiastical court started The canonical trial at first instance, whose conclusion is expected in the coming weeks. To those who reported the aforementioned facts to the diocesan ordinary, it was remembered that they were guaranteed the possibility of submitting a complaint also in the state area “.
The note of the diocese also makes it known that “The energy of priests, lay and lay people of the community of Seregno have been addressed to children, young people and their families for months, who are facing a time of analysis of the incident, together with qualified professionals, who support and support them, Listening and welcoming their suffering, concerns and questions “and adds that” in recent weeks the pastoral council has been informed about the matter. The parish, the archbishop with his collaborators and the entire diocesan community are close to the people involved ».
Since it was suspended by all pastoral positions, on May 11, 2024, Don Marelli is located in a structure of the diocese.
