Sex abuse, sanctions, silence: A primer on the pope saga

Faced with such evidence, Vigano altered his story to say that while Benedict’s meaVATICAN CITY — Two weeks sures were in place, McCa- after Pope Francis’ papacy was rrick “didn’t obey” them thrown into crisis by accusa- and Vigano was unable to tions that he covered up sexenforce them. ual misconduct by ex-Cardinal Vigano told LifeSiteNews, Theodore McCarrick, Fran- an ultraconservative site, cis has refused to respond, that Benedict had made the his accuser has changed his sanctions “private” proba- story and a host of new char- bly because McCarrick was acters have entered the fray. retired and Benedict, seek-

Cardinals, bishops, priests ing to avoid scandal, thought and ordinary faithful are he would obey. demanding answers, given Even the conservative that the Vatican knew since National Catholic Register, at least 2000 about allega- which originally published tions McCarrick had bedded Vigano’s revelation, acknowl- seminarians. edged that the severity of the

Here is a look at the scan- measures reported by Vigano dal, which has split the U.S. is now an open question. Catholic hierarchy and furCiting someone close ther tarnished Francis’ record to Benedict, the Regison abuse. ter reported that Bene- dict couldn’t recall how he handled the matter but that there was no formal decree against McCarrick, “just a private request” to keep a low profile.

If true, that would under- cut Vigano’s core accusation that Francis rehabili- tated McCarrick from actual canonical sanctions. What was the original accusation?

Archbishop Carlo Maria

Vigano said in his Aug. 26 expose that Pope Benedict imposed “canonical sanctions” on McCarrick in 2009 or 2010 that were similar to what Francis imposed this summer after McCarrick was accused of groping a minor.

“The cardinal was to leave How has the Pope the seminary where he was responded? living, he was forbidden to celHours after Vigano’s accuebrate Mass in public, to par- sations came to light, Francis ticipate in public meetings, to told an in-flight news confergive lectures, to travel, with ence: “I will not say a word the obligation of dedicating about this.” He challenged himself to a life of prayer and journalists to investigate penance,” Vigano wrote. Vigano’s claims and said,

Vigano said he told Francis “If time passes and you’ve on June 23, 2013, that McCadrawn your conclusions, rrick had “corrupted a genmaybe I’ll speak.” eration of seminarians and That said, Francis has priests” and that Benedict referred indirectly to the “ordered him to withdraw to scandal a few times since. He a life of prayer and penance.” has said “silence and prayer”

But he said Francis effec- are often the best response tively rehabilitated McCarrick to people seeking scandal. and made him a trusted coun- He has said it is un-Christian selor as he sought to remake to accuse other people, but the U.S. church leadership to necessary to accuse oneself be less focused on the cul- to recognize sin. And he has ture wars. told newly ordained bishops

The public record, howto work in communion — not ever, is rife with evidence that as lone actors bent on set- McCarrick lived a life devoid tling personal scores. of any sanctions from 2009 In a statement Monday, onwards. Francis’ nine cardinal advisers expressed their “full solidarity” with the pope over the scandal. How has Vigano’s story changed? How has this been received in the U.S.?

More than a week before Vigano’s disclosure, the head of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, announced he wanted an audience with Francis to present his request for a full-fledged Vatican investigation into the McCarrick affair.

DiNardo followed up his request for a Vatican investigation with a statement saying Vigano’s accusations deserve answers. More than a dozen U.S. bishops have echoed the call, though others, including a top Francis appointee, Cardinal Blase Cupich, have demurred. Cupich has said Francis shouldn’t go down the “rabbit hole” by responding.

No date for a DiNardo audience has been set.

Meanwhile, Francis has met with embattled Washington Cardinal Donald Wuerl, who is facing calls to step down over both the McCarrick scandal and for mishandling some abuse cases when he was bishop in Pittsburgh. Those cases were exposed in a recent Pennsylvania grand jury report.

Who is now speaking out?

Amid the official silence from the Vatican, some new players have emerged to try to discredit Vigano’s version of events and defend Francis.

One of them is a familiar face, the Rev. Federico Lombardi , the Jesuit who served as Vatican spokesman for Benedict and Francis until 2016. Last weekend, amid a communications crisis for the Vatican, it was announced that Lombardi would rejoin the Jesuit magazine La Civilta Cattolica, which serves as an unofficial mouthpiece for the papacy.

Also last weekend, Lombardi and his English-speaking assistant, the Rev. Thomas Rosica, issued a joint statement contesting Vigano’s version of events about the controversial meeting that Vignao orchestrated between the pope and U.S. anti-gay marriage campaigner Kim Davis during Francis’ 2015 visit to the U.S.