French court considers cardinal’s appeal in sex abuse case

LYON (FRANCE)
Associated Press via ABC News

November 28, 2019

By Nicolas Vaux-Monyagny

A French cardinal’s career is at stake as he appears Thursday in a Lyon appeals court that will decide whether to uphold his conviction for covering up sexual abuse of children

A French cardinal said Thursday he did not understand why he was found guilty of covering up sexual abuse of children, as an appeals court hearing began that will decide whether to uphold his conviction.

Cardinal Philippe Barbarin tried to resign after the original conviction in March for failing to report a predator priest to police. But Pope Francis refused to accept the resignation until the appeals process is complete.

Barbarin, the archbishop of Lyon, had been given a six-month suspended sentence for “non-denunciation of sexual violence against minors.”

Barbarin told the court he filed an appeal because “I cannot see clearly what I am guilty of.”

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