The conviction of Lyon’s archbishop, Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, by a French court on March 7 for failing to report alleged sexual abuse by a priest of his archdiocese has further fuelled the sense that the Church faces one of its most serious crises since the Reformation. Barbarin is the first cardinal to be convicted by a civil court for such a crime.
Barbarin is appealing the conviction. He is nonetheless offering his resignation as archbishop to Pope Francis on the basis that, even if his appeal succeeds, the French Church needs a fresh approach – and leadership – if its efforts to address the sex abuse scourge are to be considered credible.
