Pope Francis Accepts Resignation Of Dominican Cardinal Who Used Anti-Gay Slurs Against US Ambassador

From the Washington Blade:

The Vatican announced on Monday that Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Cardinal Nicolás de Jesús López Rodríguez of the Archbishop of Santo Domingo.

The Holy See said in a statement that the pontiff has named Monsignor Francisco Ozoria Acosta of the Diocese of San Pedro de Macorís as López’s successor.

López has repeatedly used homophobic slurs to describe gay U.S. Ambassador to the Dominican Republic James “Wally” Brewster.

López told reporters during a 2015 press conference that Brewster should “go back to his embassy” and “stick to housework, since he is a man’s wife.” The cardinal in 2013 referred to Brewster — who is married to Bob Satawake — as a “faggot” after President Obama nominated him to become the next American ambassador to the predominantly Catholic country.

Neither the Vatican nor the Dominican government has publicly rebuked López over his comments.

Yesterday’s announcement came one day after Santo Domingo celebrated LGBT pride.