Bernardo Álvarez, the deceased bishop who was sexually abused by children

Victim Seeks Legal Protection

Ciro Molina, a survivor of abuse by a priest in Tejina (La Laguna, Tenerife) when he was nine, has turned to the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office of Santa Cruz de Tenerife for protection. He declared that “it is sad that a person is so defenseless that they have to record to defend their truth.”

Molina announced that he will participate in the mixed reparations system currently being negotiated among the Spanish Government, the Catholic Church, and the Ombudsman. He explained:

“Yes, I will go (to the mixed reparations system) and, well, what we victims ask is to be recognized, to be certified as victims as is done in other areas such as terrorism, because what is done against minors is comparable to crimes against humanity. They are not war crimes because there are no guns, but they disarm you internally to the point that it can be considered as such.”

He also demanded protective measures for ecclesiastical abuse victims, noting that many suffer “vulnerability, labor instability, precariousness,” and that access to therapy is costly—each psychological session costs €70.

Recording Reveals Bishop’s Admissions

Molina’s statements came after a 2024 audio recording of a conversation with the late Bishop of Tenerife, Bernardo Álvarez, was published by El País and Cadena Ser. In the tape, the bishop admits that “boys and girls of 13 and 14 years have provoked me,” and acknowledges that, historically, the “custom” when an abuse case was known was to transfer the accused priest to another parish.

According to Molina, the bishop also recognizes that the abuses occurred and were concealed, and tries to deflect responsibility by claiming that three previous bishops—Felipe Fernández, Damián Iguacen, and Luis Franco—had acted similarly.

Diocesan sources told Europa Press they were unaware of the recording and its contents.

Evidence Submitted to Authorities

Molina has handed the recordings over to:

• The Provincial Prosecutor’s Office of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
• The Vatican’s Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors.

He stresses that all his evidence must be included in the forthcoming process that the Ministry of Justice will launch together with the Ombudsman. Molina rejected the Church‑led PRIVA reparations plan (created by the Spanish Episcopal Conference and the Spanish Conference of Religious), arguing that an external body should determine compensation because the Church is “judge and party.”

In his letter to the prosecutor, Molina requested that they listen to the audio, open investigations, and pursue the case. So far, he has only received an acknowledgment of receipt.

Prosecutor’s Response and Legal Obstacles

The Provincial Prosecutor’s Office explained that the case was archived because:

• The alleged crimes are prescribed due to the passage of time.
• The inaction of the Church could not be prosecuted, as the bishop involved has died and the statutory deadlines have expired.

Ongoing Accusations and Personal Resolve

Molina reiterated that the Church bears significant complicity and disclosed that he has contemplated apostasy:

“I want to say goodbye forever to the Church. I thank it for any good it may have given me, but what they have done to victims is unforgivable.”

He will not request a meeting with Pope Leo XIV during the pontiff’s upcoming visit to the island, noting that “it would have been different with Pope Francis.”

History of the Case

• 2004: Molina’s family reported the abuse to Bishop Felipe Fernández, demanding action. The bishop responded by transferring the priest to Salamanca, later returning him to La Laguna as a chaplain in a nursing home.
• 2014: Molina attempted a criminal complaint, but the offenses were already prescribed. He then filed a second ecclesiastical complaint, which triggered a canonical process that he describes as “favorable,” yet he claims the Church has denied him access to the canonical judgment.