One of the most shocking forced beatifications of the Francis pontificate was that of Bishop Angelelli, a terrorist-supporting Bishop from Argentina, who died in an automobile accident, but was deemed a martyr. He was so liberal, so cruel against orthodox Catholics, and so against any orthodox causes in his lifetime, that serious Catholics in Argentina mocked him by calling him "Satanelli" during his own lifetime.
Another extreme liberal bishop, Jorge Novak, of Quilmes, was also placed by Francis on a fast track to beatification and canonization. Thankfully, with the new pontificate, the fast tracking is being reexamined, and, in Novak's case, at least one serious impediment has been found: his lax conduct regarding the case of at least one abusive priest under his care.
The announcement of the Vatican derailment of the cause was made public yesterday by the local diocese:
Communiqué on the Cessation of the Canonical Cause for the Beatification and Canonization of the Servant of God Father Bishop Jorge Novak SVD, First Bishop of Quilmes (1976–2001)
Prot. No. 137/2026
We hereby notify that on October 13, 2025, Cardinal Marcelo Semeraro, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, after examining all the documentation we submitted to him, confirmed the decision to revoke the nihil obstat for the continuation of the Cause — due to a possible canonical procedure not carried out by Father Bishop Jorge Novak SVD with regard to the conduct of a priest of the Diocese — while "expressing" — as the Prefect wrote — "no moral judgment on the life, virtues, or pastoral action of the Servant of God." Cardinal Semeraro likewise affirmed that Monsignor Jorge Novak retains his title of Servant of God.
The Diocese of Quilmes and the Society of the Divine Word — both co-petitioners in the canonical cause initiated on December 11, 2017 — issue this communiqué with grief, trusting that God in his immense goodness will grant our beloved and fondly remembered Father Bishop Jorge Novak SVD the fullness of eternal life, even if his name is not inscribed in the canonical book of the blesseds and saints officially proclaimed by the Church.
Quilmes, April 4, 2026
Msgr. Carlos José Tissera
Bishop of Quilmes
Fr. Jerzy Faliszek SVD
Provincial of the Society of the Divine Word, Southern Argentina [source, in Spanish]
