Jimmy Savile, the late BBC DJ who was posthumously
accused of sexually abusing minors, was invested as Knight Commander of
St Gregory the Great (an equestrian order recognised by the Holy See)
during John Paul II’s pontificate. Now, after information requests from the Archbishop of Westminster, Vincent Nichols, the Holy See stated that the knighthood given to the DJ should never have been bestowed.
It also strongly condemned the acts of sexual abuse committed by Savile and stressed through the Vatican’s official spokesman, Fr. Federico Lombardi that “the honour expires with the death of the individual.”
A spokesman for the Catholic Church in England and Wales confirmed that Archbishop Nichols "wrote last week to the Holy See asking the competent office to investigate whether the papal honour awarded to Jimmy Savile for his charitable works could be posthumously removed and its effects nullified."
The Jesuit Vatican spokesman told the BBC that the Holy See "firmly condemns the horrible crimes of sexual abuse of minors," and considers the Savile revelations "very grave".
He said the Holy See is “deeply saddened that a person who has been soiled in this way could in his lifetime have been proposed for an honour by the Holy See, which in the light of recent information should certainly not have been bestowed."
Regarding the removal of the British DJ's knighthood, Lombardi said: "As there does not exist any permanent official list of persons who have received papal honours in the past, it is not possible to strike anyone off a list that does not exist.”
However, “the names of recipients of papal honours do not appear in the Pontifical Year Book and the honour expires with the death of the individual.”
Lombardi concluded: "The most important thing, therefore, is to reaffirm the Church's condemnation of all forms of sexual abuse, and particularly abuse of minors, as extremely grave crimes. The Holy See is adamant on this point."