Gustavo Oscar Zanchetta

Infobox Christian leader type = Bishop name = Gustavo Oscar Zanchetta title = Bishop Emeritus of Orán church = Catholic Church diocese = Diocese of Orán term = 23 July 2013 – 1 August 2017 predecessor = Marcelo Daniel Colombo successor = other_post = Official within the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See (2017-2021) ordination = 13 December 1991 ordained_by = Jorge Novak consecration = 19 August 2013 consecrated_by = Andrés Stanovnik

He was an assistant parish priest and then parish priest of San Francisco de Asís and parish administrator of Nuestra Señora del Puente in Berazategui; director of the seminary's preparatory course; treasurer of the Major Seminary; secretary to the bishop emeritus of Quilmes after 2011; professor in the Sacred Sciences Faculty and the Quilmes Seminary; and councilor of the Christian Family Movement. In 2000 he obtained a licentiate in fundamental theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University. He was one of the pope's earliest episcopal appointments. He received his episcopal consecration on 19 August from Andrés Stanovnik, archbishop of Corrientes.

On 1 August 2017, Pope Francis accepted his resignation as bishop of Orán. Both the resignation and its acceptance were described as "precipitous", and Zanchetta's announcement of his departure cited health issues that prevented him from serving properly as bishop.He wrote: "For a long time a health problem has not allowed me to fully carry out the pastoral ministry that was entrusted to me, especially considering the vast extension of our diocesan territory, and the enormous challenges that we have as a Church in the north of the country." Pope Francis later said he had asked for his resignation after formal complaints had been filed against him, which were described as "his troubles handling the relationships with the diocesan clergy" and "accusations of authoritarianism". a position that had not existed until his appointment. In March 2019, Carlos Alberto Sánchez, Archbishop of Tucumán, conducted interviews in northern Argentina on behalf of the Congregation for Bishops. On 28 May 2019, Pope Francis told an interviewer that he had read Sánchez' report, had determined a full trial by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith was warranted, and said it would start soon.

On 8 June 2019, Argentine prosecutors charged Zanchetta with sexually abusing two seminarians. He was ordered to submit to a psychiatric examination, to surrender his passport and to establish a residence in Argentina. On 28 August 2019, Zanchetta's travel ban was lifted and he returned to Rome.

On 7 November 2019, police raided the offices of the Diocese of Orán seeking evidence against Zanchetta for defrauding the state by misusing government funds. "Public records show that Zanchetta received over one million pesos, close to $250,000 at the time, from the provincial government for the restoration of a parish rectory and for a series of lectures in the local seminary that never took place."

The Vatican delivered files requested by the Argentine court on 18 February 2022. The trial began on 21 February 2022. One witness testified that Zanchetta asked seminarians for massages and gave "hugs that, in general, were from behind and lasted longer than necessary". Zanchetta testified and denied his guilt. (The crime of which Zanchetta was found guilty was "continued simple sexual abuse aggravated by being committed by a minister of religious worship".)

In July 2022, the Orán trial court granted Zanchetta's request that, because of his health, he be allowed to serve his sentence under house arrest in a residence for retired priests. Zanchetta had been hospitalized for a month, and his attorney described his condition as "severe hypertension aggravated by aneurysm in the renal arteries".

Nothing is known of canonical proceedings against Zanchetta. Pope Francis had indicated in May 2019 that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) would start its own trial soon. The CDF does not reveal its findings while issues remain unresolved in other courts. Despite his criminal conviction, Zanchetta has faced no known disciplinary measures from Church authorities raising criticism from local Catholics and drawing international attention because of Pope Francis’ personal involvement in the case.