Bishop Gustavo Zanchetta is on probation

The Justice of the Argentine Province of Salta granted probation to Bishop Emeritus of Oran, Mons. Gustavo Zanchetta, who had been sentenced in 2022 to four years and six months in prison for sexually abusing two seminarians.

The Resolution of the Salta challenge courtreleased this Friday, he provides that Zanchetta continue his conviction under a probation regime “with substitute measures” to prison, such as the obligation to set domicile, perform psychological treatment and present himself every time the court requires it.

Mons. Zanchetta had been convicted in March 2022 for the crime of “simple -aged -aged simple sexual abuse for being committed by a minister of cult.” The victims, two former seminarists, testified about crimes committed by the bishop between 2013 and 2017 while they were formed in the seminar in Oran, and the defendant denied the charges.

When the conviction is known then, The Argentine Episcopal Conference He expressed his proximity to the victims along with a “strong and sincere request for forgiveness.”

In June 2022, just three months after having been convicted, Zanchetta requested house arrest for health problems, a benefit that was given to him in July of that year, and that he fulfilled in a house for retired priests within the Nuestra Señora del Valle de Oran monastery. One of the victims said it was not what they expected and asked that the Church not turn their backs.

Given the criticism of the Bishopric of Oran for having granted him a domicile where he fulfilled his penalty, the local bishop, Mons. Antonio Scozzina, defended the measure asking that he would be interpreted as an “act of charity”.

The sentence against Mons. Zanchetta was firm in February 2025. However, the challenge court now resolved to grant him the release under substitute measures, which in practice gives him freedom.

So far, there have been no public reactions from the Diocese of Oran, the Argentine Episcopal Conference or the victims.

The bishop’s ecclesial situation

Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Mons. Zanchetta to the Diocese of Oran in 2017, at 53, presented Under the argument of being going through health problemsbut months later he was appointed advisor to the administration of the heritage of the Apostolic Headquarters (APSA) in the Vatican.

In 2019, when the complaints were made public, the Holy See temporarily separated it from the position and entrusted a preliminary investigation to the Archbishop of Tucumán, Mons. Carlos Sánchez. Once the results are ready, the case went to the congregation for the doctrine of faith (today Dicasteria).

In 2020 Zanchetta returned to his position in Rome, considering that this did not interfere “in any way in the investigations,” said Matteo Bruni, director of the press office of the Holy See.

At the moment, Gustavo Zanchetta retains his status as bishop before the Holy See and no measures have been known that restore his ministry.