A prominent American cardinal gets up after a scandal of abuse

Pope Francis on Saturday accepted the resignation of Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, one of the most prominent figures of the American Catholic Church. The former 88 year old Archbishop of Washington is accused by several men of sexual abuse.

The Pope took McCarrick both his title and his place in the College of Cardinals, something according to the Reuters news agency in eighty years has occurred. Other cardinals who have intensified in recent years, for example, have retained their place at the College, or their title (your eminence).

Pending the ecclesiastical inquiry into the case of abuse, Francis McCarrick condemned a life in isolation, in which he must spend time with prayers and penance. When this inquiry begins, we do not know.

Credible Beliefs

The abuse scandal began rolling last month when the American Catholic Church put McCarrick on hold. According to the church, credible and justified charges had been received from a man who had been sexually abused by McCarrick in the 1970s at the age of 16. As a result of this, several men made their story. They were often miners or clergy in formation. In one case, a man said that the abuse had started at the age of 11 and had lasted at least 20 years.

McCarrick responded last month to the allegations of the man who had been abused at the age of 16. He did not answer the other charges.