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Pope Francis refuses Cardinal Barbarin’s resignation

cde.news desk · 1 min read
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epa07446890 An handout image released by Vatican Media shows Pope Francis (R) receiving Cardinal Philippe Barbarin (L), Archbishop of Lyon (France) in Vatican City, 18 March 2019. Cardinal Philippe Barbarin announces during a press conference on 07 March that he will present his resignation to Pope Francis in the coming days after being convicted of helping covering up sex abuse and being handed a six-month suspended jail term. EPA-EFE/VATICAN MEDIA HANDOUT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES

Philippe Barbarin, the French Roman Catholic cardinal convicted this month of failing to report sexual abuse allegations, said on Tuesday that Pope Francis had turned down his offer to resign, Euronews reports.

“On Monday morning, I put forward my resignation to the hands of the Holy Father. Invoking the presumption of innocence, he declined to accept this resignation,” said Barbarin in a statement set by France’s Lyon Catholic Church.

Barbarin is appealing the verdict against him.

The Guardian says that in a statement on Tuesday, Vatican spokesman Alessandro Gisotti said the Vatican remained close to sex abuse victims and the French faithful “who are living in a particularly painful moment”.

Via Euronews / France 24 / The Guardian

Topics Vatican