This Lyon cardinal was recently convicted, in the French courts, of failing to report child abuse - carried out by priests reporting to him.

Not to the civil authorities, or to Rome, it would seem; he simply covered it, and denied it happened.

Despite his wish to retire, the Pope has now refused his resignation request and wishes him to continue in his role - notwithstanding his conviction - for which he received a suspended prison sentence.

Undoubtedly, this raises serious questions - in that for the moment at least - a man who has been found guilty of sex related offences is deemed suitable to remain as France's leading catholic cleric.


Does this mean that other cardinals - at various stages of legal proceedings (in the USA, Chile and Australia for example) - will be allowed to continue in their jobs, after conviction?

Good evening Barney,hope you are well.

Barney wrote:
This Lyon cardinal was recently convicted, in the French courts, of failing to report child abuse - carried out by priests reporting to him.

Not to the civil authorities, or to Rome, it would seem; he simply covered it, and denied it happened.

Despite his wish to retire, the Pope has now refused his resignation request and wishes him to continue in his role - notwithstanding his conviction - for which he received a suspended prison sentence.

Undoubtedly, this raises serious questions - in that for the moment at least - a man who has been found guilty of sex related offences is deemed suitable to remain as France's leading catholic cleric.


Does this mean that other cardinals - at various stages of legal proceedings (in the USA, Chile and Australia for example) - will be allowed to continue in their jobs, after conviction?




It raises the question though,of what is knowledge of a crime, and what might well be gossip.
How does someone actually know that abuse has occurred, (so needs to be reported) when there has been no trial?

A number of cardinals have been convicted, by civil courts - in have a dozen countries.

USA, Australia etc. France - where a movie was made about it.

Yes, some on false allegations maybe sometimes.


But the current reaction, horror, action - of Rome is significant.


Admissions are coming out of the woodwork, about things that they say never happened (denied a short few years ago)...