Pope Francis on Sunday defended his decision to reject the resignation of Philip...
ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE - Pope Francis on Sunday defended his decision to reject the resignation of Philippe Barbarin, the French Roman Catholic cardinal convicted on charges of failing to report sexual abuse.
Speaking to reporters on the plane returning from a two-day trip to Morocco, Francis said he was obliged to give the archbishop of Lyon the benefit of the doubt until his appeal is heard. Barbarin, 68, the highest-profile cleric to be caught up in the child sex abuse scandal inside the French Church, received a six-month suspended prison sentence. He has denied the allegations and launched an appeal.
Barbarin has stepped aside temporarily pending the appeal and has handed over the day-to-day running of the diocese to a vicar general.
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