VATICAN CITY (CNS) – A Vatican investigation has led to the expulsion of a former Vatican ambassador from the priesthood in response to allegations of sexually abusing minors.

Polish Archbishop Jozef Wesolowski, the former nuncio to the Dominican Republic, was sentenced with laicization after a canonical process conducted by the Vatican Congregation of the Doctrine for the Faith, the Vatican said.

The 65-year-old archbishop has two months to appeal the decision.

The Vatican City criminal court’s own trial of the archbishop will begin once the canonical process concludes, the statement said.

Given the fact that the archbishop has been “dismissed from the clerical state,” the Vatican said, “all measures appropriate to the gravity of the case” would be taken while he is awaiting his criminal trial.

The specifics of those measures were to be decided by the former nuncio’s superiors within the Vatican Secretariat of State, said Father Federico Lombardi, S.J., Vatican spokesman.

The archbishop had “enjoyed relative freedom of movement” while the canonical process was underway, the Vatican statement said. However, given the imposed censure, it was expected the archbishop’s movements would be limited, Father Lombardi said.

The Vatican statement said the first round of the canonical process against the former nuncio ended in a “conviction of dismissal from the clerical state.” As such, Archbishop Wesolowski loses all rights and duties associated with being a priest, except the obligation of celibacy.