Juan Carlos Patino-Arango was a Roman Catholic seminarian who is accused of child molestation and indecency. While studying in a Roman Catholic seminary

Seminary

A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...

, he allegedly molested four boys, who have since filed suit against him, the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, Archbishop

Archbishop

An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...

 Joseph Fiorenza

Joseph Fiorenza

Joseph Anthony Fiorenza is an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He was the seventh Bishop and the first Archbishop of Galveston-Houston, serving from 1985 to 2006...

 and Pope Benedict XVI

Pope Benedict XVI

Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...

, charging that the church conspired to cover up

Cover Up

Cover Up is an American action/adventure television series that aired for one season on CBS from September 22, 1984 to April 6, 1985. Created by Glen A. Larson, the series stars Jennifer O'Neill, Jon-Erik Hexum, Antony Hamilton, and Richard Anderson....

 the crime. Settlement reached in Houston church sex abuse case. In May 2005 in Texas

Texas

Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...

, he was indicted on a felony criminal charge of indecency with a child.

Diplomatic immunity request of Pope

When Pope Benedict was personally accused in a lawsuit of conspiring to cover up

Cover Up

Cover Up is an American action/adventure television series that aired for one season on CBS from September 22, 1984 to April 6, 1985. Created by Glen A. Larson, the series stars Jennifer O'Neill, Jon-Erik Hexum, Antony Hamilton, and Richard Anderson....

 the molestation of three boys in Texas by Patino-Arango in Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, he sought and obtained diplomatic immunity

Diplomatic immunity

Diplomatic immunity is a form of legal immunity and a policy held between governments that ensures that diplomats are given safe passage and are considered not susceptible to lawsuit or prosecution under the host country's laws...

 from prosecution. Some have claimed that this immunity was granted after intervention by then US President George W. Bush

George W. Bush

George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....

. The Department of State "recognize[d] and allow[ed] the immunity of Pope Benedict XVI from this suit."