AUSTRALIA
7 News
AAP
An Australian bishop accused of protecting himself and the Catholic Church at the child abuse royal commission has retired.
The Pope has accepted Brisbane auxiliary bishop Brian Finnigan’s resignation upon his reaching the retirement age, the Vatican’s press office has announced.
Bishop Finnigan on Thursday said he submitted his resignation to Pope Francis in 2013 and was grateful it had now come to pass.
“At 77 years of age, energy levels and mental agility have diminished,” he said in a letter to fellow clergy in the Brisbane archdiocese.
“In a pastoral career spanning more than 40 years, there have been disappointments and challenges.
“From those whom I may have disappointed, I seek forgiveness.”
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