The Holy See has lodged a formal protest with France following a ruling by a French court that held a former high-ranking Vatican official responsible for the alleged wrongful dismissal of a nun from a religious order. The court decision, issued by the Lorient tribunal on April 3, favored the nun, Sabine de la Valette, who was known as Mother Marie Ferréol during the relevant period. She was reportedly compelled to resign from her religious order, the Dominicans of the Holy Spirit, subsequent to an investigation conducted by the Vatican.
In response to the ruling, the Vatican issued a statement asserting that it had not been officially notified of the verdict. Nevertheless, the Vatican characterized the decision as a serious infringement on the right to religious freedom. The Vatican disclosed that Pope Francis had assigned Cardinal Marc Ouellet, who was then heading the Vatican's bishops' office, to oversee an investigation that culminated in a series of canonical actions against Valette, culminating in her expulsion after serving 34 years as a nun in the order.
