VATICAN CITY -- After waiting nine months, Pope Francis has denied accusations that he was aware of allegations of sex abuse involving former American Cardinal Theodore McCarrick and failed to take action.

WASHINGTON – An allegation of misconduct against Archbishop Theodore McCarrick was reported to Cardinal Donald Wuerl in 2004, despite Wuerl’s insistence he knew nothing about McCarrick’s alleged sexual misconduct until 2018.

VATICAN – People can disagree about problems and the best ways to resolve them, but no one should launch a formal accusation against a Pope much less ask for his resignation, German Cardinal Gerhard Muller said.

BALTIMORE – The U.S. bishops Nov. 14 defeated a resolution to encourage the Vatican to release all documents related to the investigation of allegations of misconduct by Archbishop Theodore E. McCarrick.

VATICAN – A former nuncio to the United States acknowledged hearing rumors about the sexual misconduct of Archbishop Theodore E. McCarrick already in 1994.

Rigid adherence

Re: D&P funding remains in limbo (Oct. 7):

It was reported that 12 Canadian bishops did not remit the annual Lenten collection for the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace in order to put pressure on the D&P organization to ensure that its overseas partners do not support abortion and contraception. 

VATICAN – Hypocrisy is the leaven that causes men and women to be self-centered and indifferent to the world around them, Pope Francis said.

VATICAN – In a new testimony Friday, Archbishop Carlo Vigano charged that Pope Francis has been negligent in his responsibilities to the Church, and responded to efforts to refute allegations he has made in recent months about Archbishop Theodore McCarrick and other ecclesiastical leaders.

Pope Francis had little or no choice but to accept the resignation of Cardinal Donald Wuerl, archbishop in Washington, D.C.

Do no harm

It’s distressing to know that doctors from Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children have published an article on how best to extend voluntary euthanasia to children. This is sad but not surprising, as Canada both at home and abroad pushes to extend the culture of death. 

The state decides what is good “care” for the patient, and what is not, including the appropriate time to intentionally kill. That a sick child or person is most often not capable of making a responsible decision is of no concern. Society says we must respect the patient’s “right” to end his life. This is similar to the insane idea that students have the “right” to transgender without the parents being informed. What the self wants, not family and God, is paramount.

The medical goal should be to save lives and do no harm. Instead, the authors corrupt the aim by suggesting efficient ways to kill. To give patients the autonomy to be killed and then pay doctors to find economical ways do so is not medical care. It’s reducing life to a product, one more thing to use and abuse and then discard at will. 

Canada is in terrible need of architects of the culture of life and true care.

Lou Iacobelli,

Toronto

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Vote wisely

A recent news report mentioned that the Halton Catholic District School Board trustees had cancelled a motion disallowing various charities from benefiting from school-run fund-raising because of connections to causes whose agendas contained elements contrary to Catholic teaching. This move followed protests from students and parents. The majority of trustees bowed to the will of the protesters.

On Oct. 22 parents and taxpayers will have the task of electing not only city mayors and councillors, but also their representative on the school board. In the case of the latter group, the trustees will be answerable not only for the financial and material welfare of the students, but also for their spiritual welfare. It is a heavy responsibility.

Let us hope Catholics in Ontario take care to elect trustees whose values are not in conflict with Catholic teachings and who make sure to eschew the secular attitudes often promoted by some candidates. These are the people we entrust with our most precious resource, our children.

C. Daffern,

Scarborough, Ont.

Clearly, Cardinal Donald Wuerl was right to resign as Washington archbishop, but his fall has sent mixed signals about the Vatican’s resolve to get tough on clerical sex abuse.

VATICAN – Former Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick of Washington had been told by Vatican officials to withdraw from public life because of rumors about his sexual misconduct, said Cardinal Marc Ouellet, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.

ROME – The president of the U.S. bishops' conference welcomed Pope Francis' pledge to fight attempts to cover up cases of sexual abuse and to stop offering special treatment to bishops who have committed or covered up abuse.

Scrolling through my Facebook the past two months as the terrible scandals in the Catholic Church unraveled, my news feed was filled with commentary both disturbing and sad.

We have grown weary of Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò. Weary of his accusations. Weary of his recklessness. Weary of his insolence. Weary of his betrayals. Weary of his cunning.