Skip to main content
Tags: pope | john | paul | Church | Abuse | Cardinal | priest

Cardinal: Late Pope Backed Priest-Shielding

Saturday, 17 April 2010 06:53 PM EDT

Spanish media are quoting a retired Vatican cardinal as saying the late Pope John Paul II backed his letter congratulating a French bishop for risking jail for shielding a priest convicted of raping minors.

Web sites of La Verdad and other Spanish newspapers reported Saturday that Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos, 80, told an audience at a Catholic university in Murcia, Spain, on Friday that he consulted with John Paul and showed him the letter. He claimed the pontiff authorized him to send the letter to bishops worldwide.

La Verdad said the audience at Universidad Catolica de Murcia applauded the cardinal's remarks.

The 2001 letter praised Bishop Pierre Pican, who received a three-month suspended prison sentence for concealing knowledge about the clergyman, the Rev. Rene Bissey, the media said. The priest himself was sentenced to 18 years for sexually abusing 11 minors.

Asked about the Spanish media reports on Saturday, Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi told reporters in Malta, where Pope Benedict XVI is visiting, that he would not comment on the retired Vatican cardinal's statement.

Lombardi said he would only repeat what he had said earlier, that before he became Pope Benedict, Archbishop Joseph Ratzinger had overseen the office that the Vatican was using to consolidate control of all clergy sex abuse cases.


© Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


Newsfront
Spanish media are quoting a retired Vatican cardinal as saying the late Pope John Paul II backed his letter congratulating a French bishop for risking jail for shielding a priest convicted of raping minors.Web sites of La Verdad and other Spanish newspapers reported...
pope,john,paul,Church,Abuse,Cardinal,priest
214
2010-53-17
Saturday, 17 April 2010 06:53 PM
Newsmax Media, Inc.

Sign up for Newsmaxā€™s Daily Newsletter

Receive breaking news and original analysis - sent right to your inbox.

(Optional for Local News)
Privacy: We never share your email address.
Join the Newsmax Community
Read and Post Comments
Please review Community Guidelines before posting a comment.
 
TOP

Interest-Based Advertising | Do not sell or share my personal information

Newsmax, Moneynews, Newsmax Health, and Independent. American. are registered trademarks of Newsmax Media, Inc. Newsmax TV, and Newsmax World are trademarks of Newsmax Media, Inc.

NEWSMAX.COM
America's News Page
Ā© Newsmax Media, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
Download the Newsmax App
NEWSMAX.COM
America's News Page
Ā© Newsmax Media, Inc.
All Rights Reserved