Pope Francis has accepted the resignation from the College of Cardinals of Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, retired Archbishop of Washington, and has ordered him to maintain "a life of prayer and penance" until a canonical trial examines accusations that he sexually abused minors.
The Vatican press office said that the previous evening Pope Francis had received Cardinal McCarrick's letter of "resignation as a member of the College of Cardinals."
"Pope Francis accepted his resignation from the cardinalate and has ordered his suspension from the exercise of any public ministry, together with the obligation to remain in a house yet to be indicated to him, for a life of prayer and penance until the accusations made against him are examined in a regular canonical trial," the Vatican statement said.
