A retired ambassador has claimed that Pope Francis was made aware of sexual misconduct allegations but rehabilitated him anyway.
In a press conference aboard a plane on Sunday night, Pope Francis told reporters that he would not be speaking about accusations made by a retired Archbishop that he was aware of the sexual misconduct allegations against the disgraced former archbishop of Washington, Theodore McCarrick, but rehabilitated him anyway.
The Pope said that the eleven-page document created by Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, the former Vatican ambassador to the US “speaks for itself.”
“It’s an act of trust,” he answered. “I won’t say a word about it.”
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VIDEO: Pope Francis declines to confirm or deny claims by Vatican's retired ambassador to the U.S. that he knew about sexual misconduct allegations against former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick. https://t.co/mngiIQ5C0L
— The Associated Press (@AP) August 27, 2018
Vigano claims that he discussed McCarrick with the Pope in 2013 when he was already under sanction and claims that Pope Francis knew of the allegations but rehabilitated him anyway.
“Holy Father, I don’t know if you know Cardinal McCarrick, but if you ask the Congregation of Bishops, there is a dossier this thick about him,” Vigano claims he told Francis.
Breaking: Vatican’s ex-ambassador says Popes Francis, Benedict knew of sexual misconduct allegations against Cardinal McCarrick for years https://t.co/R78t573RXv
— Washington Post (@washingtonpost) August 26, 2018
“He corrupted generations of seminarians and priests, and Pope Benedict ordered him to withdraw to a life of prayer and penance.”
Soon after, however, he claims that McCarrick had started traveling on missions on behalf of the church once more.
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