Pope says he trusts people to judge nuncio’s claims

Published: August 27, 2018

By Cindy Wooden
Catholic News Service

CNS photo/Paul Haring

A shaft of light illuminates Pope Francis as he responds to a question from reporter Anna Matranga of CBS News aboard his flight from Dublin to Rome Aug. 26. Matranga asked the pope about a statement made by Italian Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, the former apostolic nuncio to the United States, concerning Archbishop Theodore E. McCarrick.

CNS photo/Paul Haring

ABOARD THE PAPAL FLIGHT FROM DUBLIN -- Pope Francis said Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano's long document calling on him to resign is written in a way that people should be able to draw their own conclusions.

"I read the statement this morning and, sincerely, I must say this to you and anyone interested: Read that statement attentively and make your own judgment," he told reporters Aug. 26. "I think the statement speaks for itself, and you have a sufficient journalistic ability to make a conclusion."

Speaking to reporters traveling back to Rome with him from Dublin, the pope said his lack of comment was "an act of faith" in people reading the document. "Maybe when a bit of time has passed, I'll talk about it."

Asked directly when he first learned of the former Cardinal McCarrick's sexual abuse, Pope Francis said the question was related directly to Archbishop Vigano's report and he would not comment now.

Archbishop Vigano, who served as nuncio to the United States from 2011-2016, claimed he told Pope Francis about Cardinal McCarrick in 2013.

In June, the Vatican announced that the pope had ordered the former Washington archbishop to live in "prayer and penance" while a canonical process proceeds against him. The pope later accepted Archbishop McCarrick's resignation from the College of Cardinals.

In an open letter first published by Lifesite News and National Catholic Register Aug. 26, Archbishop Vigano wrote that he was compelled to write his knowledge of Archbishop McCarrick's misdeeds because "corruption has reached the very top of the Church's hierarchy."

Throughout the 11-page testimony, which was translated by a Lifesite News correspondent, the former nuncio made several claims and accusations against prominent Church officials, alleging they belong to "a homosexual current" that subverted church teaching on homosexuality.

Citing the rights of the faithful to "know who knew and who covered up (Archbishop McCarrick's) grave misdeeds," Archbishop Vigano named nearly a dozen former and current Vatican officials who he claimed were aware of the accusations.

Archbishop Vigano criticized Pope Francis for not taking action against Cardinal McCarrick after he claimed he told the pope of the allegations in 2013. However, he did not make any criticism of St. John Paul II, who appointed Archbishop McCarrick to lead the Archdiocese of Washington and made him a cardinal in 2001.