STA, 11 November 2021 - A priest from the archdiocese of Maribor has been deprived of priesthood after a Vatican church court has found him guilty of sexual abuse of an underage person, the archdiocese says on its website.
Anton Kmet lost all rights stemming from priesthood in June, and the measure was confirmed by the congregation for the doctrine of the faith in October.
The priest was then informed that the procedure was completed on 22 October, "on which day all rights stemming from being ordained priest ceased".
According to media reports, Kmet last served as priest in Makole and also worked in the parish of Studenice, but was dismissed from both jobs in 2019 when an investigation at the church court started.
Janez Lesnika from the archdiocese told newspaper Večer at the time that Kmet was suspected of criminal acts committed while serving as chaplain in Ljutomer in 1998-2001.
Tabloid Slovenske Novice reported he had sexually harassed an underage girl during a trip to the coast, an allegation Koper criminal police opened an investigation into.
However, Lesnika could not tell the STA today whether Kmet had been defrocked because of this criminal act, explaining the procedure before the church court was not open.
The media have also reported that Kmet was sentenced to ten months in prison in 2010 for groping two girls, and served the sentence.
