Pope Leo XIV has appointed Father Mario Leon Dorado as coadjutor archbishop of Rabat, effectively positioning the Spanish priest to succeed Cardinal Cristobal Lopez Romero, who is facing a Vatican investigation following allegations of inappropriate behaviour and sexual violence.
The Vatican announced the appointment on Saturday, naming Dorado as coadjutor of the Moroccan archdiocese.
A coadjutor assists a sitting archbishop and has the right to succeed him when the position becomes vacant.
Dorado, 52, is a Spanish priest and member of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. He has spent nearly 25 years working in Western Sahara, where he eventually became apostolic prefect.
He was appointed apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Rabat in August, taking temporary responsibility for the diocese after Romero stepped back from public ministry.
Romero, 74, announced in July that he would withdraw from public celebrations and pastoral activities after allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards adult women emerged.
The Vatican subsequently opened a preliminary investigation into the allegations.
AFP reported that at least five women had accused Romero of sexual violence and inappropriate behaviour.
Romero has denied the allegations, saying he committed “no assault, no violence, and no sexual harassment”, while stating that he would cooperate fully with the Vatican investigation.
The appointment of Dorado as coadjutor goes beyond his previous temporary administrative role because it gives him the right of succession to the Rabat archbishopric.
Romero’s mandate is officially due to end in 2027, although his current withdrawal from pastoral duties has left the archdiocese under temporary administration.
The development comes after Vatican investigators travelled to Rabat to speak with some of Romero’s alleged victims and members of the local Catholic community.
No complaint had been filed with Moroccan judicial authorities in connection with the allegations at the time of the AFP report.
Dorado’s appointment therefore provides a clearer succession plan for the Archdiocese of Rabat while the Vatican’s investigation continues.
For the Catholic Church in Morocco, the transition comes at a sensitive moment, with the investigation into the incumbent archbishop adding scrutiny to the leadership of one of the Church’s most prominent dioceses in the country.
