Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of a Polish archbishop accused of covering up sexual abuse of minors by priests, according to a Vatican statement released today. Pope Francis “accepted the resignation” of the archbishop of Szczecin (northwest) Andrzej Dziega, who “retires” at the age of 71, according to a grim statement by the apostolic nuncio to Poland.
Polish media have long reported accusations against the Catholic dignitary for negligence and coverage of cases of pedophilia in the Church. According to the website of the Gazeta Wyborcza newspaper, files from two internal church trials have already been sent to the Vatican, marking a new episode in a long series of pedophilia cases that are rocking Poland’s powerful Catholic Church.