Cardinal Wuerl to discuss his possible resignation with Pope Francis as parishioners protest his services after allegations he covered up child sex abuse
The Archbishop of Washington says he will discuss resigning with Pope Francis
Cardinal Donald Wuerl has been embroiled in the Catholic sex abuse scandal
He’s accused of helping cover up child sex abuse, but has denied allegations
In a letter to priests, he said he wanted to help the church ‘move forward’
Wuerl has been accused of knowing his predecessor, Theodore McCarrick, was accused of having seminary students sleep in his bed and molesting an altar boy
He has denied any prior knowledge and says he only found out recently
By HANNAH MOORE
DAILYMAIL.COM
12 September 2018
The Archbishop of Washington has said he will travel to Rome to ask the Pope to consider accepting his resignation.
Cardinal Donald Wuerl was named in Philadelphia’s grand jury report into sex abuse in the Catholic Church as someone who had allowed priests to continue working despite allegations of sexual assault during his time as Archbishop of Pittsburgh.
He told priests in his diocese through a letter he would be speaking to the Pope about his future ‘so that this archdiocesan church we all love can move forward’, CNN reported.
The note was sent on Tuesday, after Wuerl spent the week meeting with priests in his diocese about whether he should stand down or not.
Last week, one protester yelled ‘shame on you’ at him, and another turned her back during a service.
‘It was clear that some decision, sooner rather than later, on my part is an essential aspect so that this archdiocesan Church we all love can move forward,’ he wrote.
Wuerl submitted his resignation three years ago, but stayed on working at the Vatican’s request.
All bishops are required to submit their resignation at the age of 75, but the Pope does not have to accept it.
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