A Catholic Archbishop and senior Vatican official Carlo Maria Vigano has called on Pope Francis to Resign from the papacy of the Catholic church over the sexual abuse scandals currently rocking the Catholic Church.
Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano accused Pope Francis of failing to act sooner on allegations of sexual abuse against a former cardinal, Theodore McCarrick.
Making his call via an 11-page statement, Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano said sanctions imposed on McCarrick by Pope Benedict XVI over sexual abuse were lifted under Pope Francis, despite reports about his “gravely immoral behaviour with seminarians and priests”.
The Archbishop revealed that he personally informed Pope Francis in 2013 about the sanctions and how McCarrick who was the Archbishop of Washington DC “corrupted generations of seminarians and priests.”
Read: Pope Francis Expresses Shame over Church Sexual Abuse Scandals
Archbishop Vigano further alleged that Pope Francis continued to cover for McCarrick despite the sanctions and went further to make him a trusted counselor.
Excerpts from the statement read;
“In this extremely dramatic moment for the universal church, he must acknowledge his mistakes and, in keeping with the proclaimed principle of zero tolerance, Pope Francis must be the first to set a good example for cardinals and bishops who covered up McCarrick’s abuses and resign along with all of them. “
Seventy-seven year old Archbishop Vigano is known to be a conservative priest with a well known stance against homosexuality in the Catholic Church and a long time critic of Pope Francis.
Archbishop Vigano’s call for the Pope’s resignation comes as Pope Francis made a two-day visit to Ireland, where he addressed sex abuse scandals and begged for God’s forgiveness for the betrayal by the church.
Pope Francis had told the Catholic Church in Ireland on Sunday;
“None of us can fail to be moved by the stories of young people who suffered abuse, were robbed of their innocence and left scarred.”
Archbishop Vigano’s also alleged that several Vatican officials knew about the allegations against McCarrick for years and covered it up.
McCarrick the former Archbishop of Washington D.C was investigated by the leadership of the church after he was accused of sexual abuse by a man who said the act took place when he was 11 years old.
Similar allegations were also made against McCarrick by other men who were seminarians studying for the priesthood.
Following the allegations and investigations, McCarrick resigned as cardinal In July, after he was removed from official duties in June by the Vatican.