Pope Leo XIV has made a significant appointment by naming Spanish priest Mario León Dorado as the Coadjutor Archbishop of Rabat on September 12. Dorado, who previously served as the Apostolic Prefect of Western Sahara, is set to succeed Cardinal Cristóbal López Romero, who has been leading the Archdiocese since 2017. The Vatican officially announced this appointment, which highlights the ongoing developments within the Catholic Church in Morocco.
The role of a Coadjutor Archbishop is crucial as it involves supporting the current bishop while also having the right to assume the position once it becomes vacant. Mario León Dorado had already been temporarily managing the Archdiocese of Rabat since August, acting as the Apostolic Administrator.
Cardinal López Romero will continue in his role as Archbishop of Rabat for the time being. In a communication addressed to the faithful, he confirmed that Dorado would be his successor, pending the acceptance of his resignation by Pope Leo XIV, which he must submit by May 2027, upon reaching the age of 75.
Ongoing Investigation Against López Romero
This appointment coincides with an ongoing investigation by the Vatican that has been in progress since July. Cardinal López Romero has faced allegations from several adult women concerning purported sexual misconduct. According to reports from the AFP news agency, five women have come forward with such accusations. The Cardinal vehemently denies these allegations, asserting that he has neither committed any offenses nor engaged in violence or sexual harassment.
In July, López Romero temporarily stepped back from public services and pastoral activities to avoid impeding the investigation. He has stated that the preliminary inquiry is currently with the appropriate authorities at the Holy See.
Simultaneously, the Cardinal has dismissed any direct connection between the investigation and Dorado's appointment. He shared with the Catholic publication Vida Nueva that he had discussed the appointment of a coadjutor with Pope Francis as far back as late 2024 and had made another request to Pope Leo XIV in October 2025. Therefore, he maintains that this decision was not made in light of the allegations against him.
The Vatican's announcement regarding the appointment did not reference the ongoing investigation. What is clear at this point is that Mario León Dorado will be the future successor to López Romero, while the canonical investigation involving the current Archbishop is still ongoing. As of now, no decision regarding the outcome of this investigation has been released.
As reported by maghreb-post.de.
