Pope Francis declined to address whether he knew about the sexual misconduct claims against former archbishop of Washington, Theodore McCarrick.
During a press conference on board an airborne plane Sunday, the leader of the Catholic church would not comment when an American reporter asked him what his thoughts were in response to an 11 page text by Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, 77, that claimed he was aware in 2013.
The Vatican’s retired ambassador to the United States claimed that despite the allegations, the pope rehabilitated McCarrick, but Francis brushed it off, simply saying the text ‘speaks for itself’.
Pope Francis, flanked by Vatican spokesperson Greg Burke (right) listens to a journalist’s question during a press conference aboard of the flight to Rome at the end of his two-day visit to Ireland, Sunday
Pope Francis refused to comment on whether he knew about the sex abuse allegations against McCarrick
Pope Francis asked journalists on board the plane to make up their own minds on whether he was aware of what was going on
‘It’s an act of trust,’ he added. ‘I won’t say a word about it.’
In the document Vigano says the pair spoke about the McCarrick allegations five years ago and although the pope said he had read the papers, published by the National Catholic Register and LifeSiteNews, he asked journalists to come to their own conclusion.
It came at the end of two days in Ireland for Francis, a trip that was almost overshadowed by anti-gay Vigano, voicing that he thinks the reformist pope should resign, just a month after McCarrick did himself.
Pope Francis waves as he leaves from Dublin Airport back to the Vatican putting an end to his visit to Ireland
In the document Vigano says the pair spoke about the McCarrick allegations five years ago
When allegations of sexually abusing a minor turned out to be credible, an investigation by the US church prompted another man to come forward with claims McCarrick had molested him from the age of 11.
Now, several former seminarians have said they were abused and harassed by him when they were in seminary.
It’s alleged to have been an open secret that McCarrick would often invite seminarians to his beach house in New Jersey and asked them to share his bed.
Cardinal Theodore McCarrick (pictured November 2011) is the subject of investigation
The investigation looks into potential sexual abuse at two seminaries it hosts following misconduct allegations against ex-Cardinal McCarrick and other priests
Vigano’s extensive letter names Vatican cardinals and US archbishops who apparently were aware of McCarrick’s wrongdoings, and claims that documents in the Vatican archives can support his claim.
He claims Francis asked him about the McCarrick accusations in June 2013, three months after he was elected.
Vigano held his role from 2011 to 2016 and claims to have sent two memos about the accusations which allegedly began in 2000, 13 years before Francis was pope. Vigano suggests the last two people previously in his role let the Holy See know about accusations against McCarrick.
Vigano claims Pope Francis knew about Cardinal Theodore McCarrick (pictured 2015)
Pope Francis gets ready to leave from Dublin Airport back to the Vatican on Sunday
Francis’ predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, was said to have sanctioned McCarrick in 2009 or 2010 and the letter says she was also told and to not travel or publicly celebrate Mass.
‘Holy Father, I don’t know if you know Cardinal McCarrick, but if you ask the Congregation of Bishops, there is a dossier this thick about him. He corrupted generations of seminarians and priests, and Pope Benedict ordered him to withdraw to a life of prayer and penance,’ the text reads.
He says the ‘stormy’ meeting in which the accused was told of the new rules can be backed up by a former counselor in the embassy who is ‘prepared to testify’.
Vigano says that McCarrick went on missions on behalf of the church, regardless, notably to China and Cuba, the latter as recently as 2014.
‘Archbishop McCarrick, like any other person, has a right to due process. He looks forward to invoking that right at the appropriate time,’ McCarrick’s civil attorney, Barry Coburn, said in a statement. He added the allegations were ‘serious’.
The claims come just after allegations of sex abuse and a cover-up in a Pennsylvania grand jury report. It found that 300 priests had abused more than 1,000 children over 70 years in six dioceses.
Vigano is calling for Pope Francis to resign after claims he helped cover up the scandal