Pope recommends silence and prayer for those who ‘only seek scandal’ in veiled response to allegations he covered up for sex scandal US cardinal
Pope issues indirect response to archbishop calling for him to quit over cover up
He asks God to guide ‘when we should speak and when we should stay silent’
Francis spoke of how Jesus, when confronting the devil, responded with silence
Archbishop Vigano claimed Francis lifted sanctions against disgraced cardinal
US prelate Theodore McCarrick became embroiled in scandal this year
By CHRIS DYER
DAILYMAIL.COM
3 September 2018
Pope Francis recommended silence and prayer for those who ‘only seek scandal’ in a veiled response to allegations he helped cover up for a US cardinal embroiled in sex abuse scandals.
His calls to move away from division and destruction appeared to be an indirect response to allegations he had covered up for US prelate Theodore McCarrick, who became embroiled in scandal this year.
Italian Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, a former papal envoy in Washington, stunned the faithful last month by claiming Francis lifted unconfirmed Vatican sanctions against disgraced McCarrick and demanding that the pope resign.
Hours after Vigano made the claim in a statement given to conservative Catholic news media, Francis had told journalists seeking his response that he ‘won’t say a word’ about the sensational claims.
Francis said today in his homily during morning Mass at the Vatican hotel where he lives: ‘With people lacking good will, with people who only seek scandal, who seek only division, who seek only destruction, even within the family – silence, prayer’ is the path to take.
In his homily today, Francis indicated he might be taking his cue from God on whether to speak out or not about Vigano’s allegations.
He said to the crowd: ‘May the Lord give us the grace to discern when we should speak and when we should stay silent.
‘This applies to every part of life: to work, at home, in society.’
Francis also spoke about how Jesus, when confronting the devil, responded with silence. Francis also described the truth as being meek and silent.
Vigano claimed that while Benedict XVI was pope, he sanctioned McCarrick, including avoiding public life, but that Francis later allegedly lifted the punishment.
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