Archbishop resigns over cover-up

An Australian archbishop convicted of concealing abuse by a paedophile priest in the 1970s said on Monday that he hoped his stepping down would be a catalyst to heal pain and distress after his resignation was accepted by Pope Francis.

The Vatican announced on Monday the departure of Philip Wilson, sentenced to a year in detention earlier in July after becoming one of the highest-ranking church officials to be convicted on the charge.

Wilson was found guilty in an Australian court of failing to report allegations against paedophile priest Jim Fletcher.

He submitted his resignation, which he says was not requested by the Vatican, on July 20, a day after Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull called on Francis to sack the 67-year-old.

In a statement released by the Catholic Archdiocese of Adelaide on Monday, Wilson said: “I made this decision because I have become increasingly worried at the growing level of hurt that my recent conviction has caused.

“I had hoped to defer this decision until after the appeal process [against the conviction] had been completed.

“However, there is just too much pain and distress being caused by my maintaining the office of Archbishop of Adelaide, especially to the victims of Fletcher.”

Turnbull welcomed the resignation in a statement to Fairfax Media on Monday, saying that “there is no more important responsibility for community and church leaders than the protection of children”.

Wilson had long denied the charges and initially resisted calls to resign pending an appeal against his conviction.

His legal team made four attempts to have the case thrown out, arguing that he suffered from Alzheimer’s.

But a magistrate found Wilson guilty of concealing a serious indictable offence of another person, concluding that his primary motive was to protect the church. –