The Vatican cannot remove the papal knighthood granted to Jimmy Savile despite allegations the British TV star was a child sex predator.
Last week, the Catholic Church of England wrote to the Holy See asking it to consider to posthumously remove the honour awarded to Savile because of the many recent child sex abuse allegations against him.
Savile, a BBC children’s television host, died last year at age 84.
Archbishop of Westminster Vincent Nichols made the request to the Vatican due to the “deep distress” of Savile’s alleged victims and in light of public concerns about his name remaining on the papal honours lists.
Fr. Federico Lombardi, the Vatican’s spokesman, however, told the Associated Press that the Vatican cannot rescind the knighthood.
The names of people who receive the knighthood don’t appear in the Holy See’s yearbook and that the honour dies with the individual, Lombardi said.
He said Savile never would have received the honour had allegations about his behaviour been known.
Savile was made a Knight Commander of St. Gregory the Great by Pope John Paul II in 1990 for his charity work. He was also knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for his services to charity and entertainment.
British police, however, believe Savile to be one of the most prolific sex offenders in Britain in recent history, with a “staggering number” of people reporting abuses by him after his death.
Some 300 potential victims have come forward with abuse allegations, police said. Most of them say they were abused by Savile.
Sources