On Wednesday, as D.C. Catholics gathered for a Mass at St. Matthew's commemorating Mary's assumption into heaven, many congregants wondered which priest would say the Mass. The usual officiant of such a Mass - Cardinal Donald Wuerl, the archbishop of Washington - had just the day before been named 200 times in a grand jury report documenting thousands of cases of sexual abuse by priests and inaction or cover-ups by bishops.
Wuerl opened the Mass with a brief and unsatisfactory statement on "The stories" reported by the grand jury investigating Pennsylvania's dioceses and parishes.
Wuerl had served as the bishop of Pittsburgh from 1988 until he came to Washington in 2006.
In three cases, the grand jury report suggests Wuerl either obfuscated or kept quiet records of abuse by priests under his supervision in Pittsburgh.
Priests all over the country had heard the rumors, yet Wuerl waves away the notion that he knew or should have known that his direct predecessor was an accused sexual predator.
Even under the most charitable interpretation of the facts in Washington and Pittsburgh, Wuerl has proven that he is not that man.
As is customary for a bishop at age 75, Wuerl two years ago submitted his resignation to Pope Francis.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/editorials/for-the-churchs-and-the-nations-sake-cardinal-wuerl-must-go
Wuerl opened the Mass with a brief and unsatisfactory statement on "The stories" reported by the grand jury investigating Pennsylvania's dioceses and parishes.
Wuerl had served as the bishop of Pittsburgh from 1988 until he came to Washington in 2006.
In three cases, the grand jury report suggests Wuerl either obfuscated or kept quiet records of abuse by priests under his supervision in Pittsburgh.
Priests all over the country had heard the rumors, yet Wuerl waves away the notion that he knew or should have known that his direct predecessor was an accused sexual predator.
Even under the most charitable interpretation of the facts in Washington and Pittsburgh, Wuerl has proven that he is not that man.
As is customary for a bishop at age 75, Wuerl two years ago submitted his resignation to Pope Francis.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/editorials/for-the-churchs-and-the-nations-sake-cardinal-wuerl-must-go
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