Pedophilia: Pope Francis accepts a new resignation

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The Archbishop of Adelaide Philip Wilson (c) leaves the Newcastle Court on July 3, 2018. AAP / Darren Pateman / via REUTERS

Pope Francis on Monday, July 30, accepted a resignation in the context of the scandal of the management of sexual abuse committed within the Church. This time it is an Australian archbishop.

With our correspondent in Rome, Xavier Le Normand

Sentenced by the justice of his country, Archbishop Philip Wilson, Archbishop of Adelaide in Australia, resigned Monday to Pope Francis. A decision that was expected since the prelate was found guilty of hiding sexual abuse committed by a priest in the 1970s.

The Australian court sentenced him to 12 months in prison. However, she still has to decide whether Bishop Wilson will be behind bars, or whether he will only be under house arrest. The priest guilty of abuse died in 2006 behind bars.

The resignation of the Archbishop of Adelaide had been claimed by Australian priests. For them, no question that a bishop condemned for such facts remains at the head of a diocese. In fact, Pope Francis had already appointed a director in early June.

Last Saturday, the head of the Catholic Church, had accepted another resignation: that of the American cardinal Theodore McCarrick. He has thus renounced his title of cardinal. He is indeed under investigation for having himself been guilty of several sexual abuses. Particularly serious accusations, therefore, which justified this particular resignation.