The Apostolic Vicariate of Darién in Panama suspended a priest from all public ministry this week. Bishop Pedro Joaquín Hernández Cantero issued the decree against Father Gustavo Rivas, a diocesan priest, effective Wednesday, April 8, 2026.
The official notification explicitly forbids Father Rivas from celebrating Mass, hearing confessions, or preaching. He cannot perform any priestly ministry anywhere, according to the document released by the bishop’s office. This administrative action follows a period of pastoral outreach that failed to resolve the underlying issues.
Canonical Justification for the Suspension
Bishop Hernández cited specific church law as the foundation for his decision. The decree directly references Code of Canon Law provision Canon 1341. This canon guides bishops on when to initiate judicial or administrative penal procedures.
“The Ordinary must promote a judicial or administrative process to impose or declare penalties when he has seen that neither the means of pastoral care, especially fraternal correction, nor admonition, nor reproof are sufficient to restore justice, to reform the offender, and to repair scandal,” the bishop wrote, quoting the canon. [Translated from Spanish]
The bishop’s statement suggests earlier corrective measures proved inadequate. Church authorities determined stronger action was necessary to achieve justice and repair any harm caused.
Diocese Issues Apology and Calls for Prayer
In its notification, the vicariate addressed the local Catholic community directly. Officials apologized for the damage caused by the situation involving Father Rivas.
The vicariate also encouraged the faithful to continue praying for all priests. It asked for prayers so that clergy may remain faithful to their ministry. Bishop Hernández specifically requested that other dioceses respect Father Rivas’s canonical status, indicating the suspension should be observed universally.
This step prevents the priest from simply relocating to another region to resume ministry. The case now enters a formal canonical process. Further details regarding the specific reasons for the suspension were not disclosed in the public decree, which is standard procedure to protect the privacy of all involved during an investigation.
Such administrative actions are serious steps in the Catholic Church’s disciplinary framework. They are typically reserved for situations where private correction has not succeeded. The reference to Canon 1341 underscores the bishop’s judgment that the matter required a formal penal response.
The Apostolic Vicariate of Darién oversees a vast and often remote territory in eastern Panama. Its statement marks a public effort to address a difficult internal matter with transparency. Parishioners across the region are now processing the news of their priest’s suspension.