Pope accepts Cardinal Wuerl’s resignation

From D.C.-

Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Cardinal Donald Wuerl from his position as the Archbishop of Washington, DC.

This morning the Archdiocese of Washington released an English translation of a letter of Pope Francis to Cardinal Wuerl accepting his resignation “from the pastoral government of the Archdiocese of Washington.”

The letter reveals that the Holy Father had received a request from the cardinal on September 21 to be released from his office. Wuerl arrived in Rome on September 17 to discuss his resignation. 

Pope Francis said that he was aware that Wuerl’s request “rests on two pillars” in his ministry: “to seek in all things the greater glory of God and to procure the good of the people entrusted to your care.”  He observed that their shared mission is “to take care that the people not only remain united, but become witnesses of the Gospel.”  (Full “unofficial courtesy translation” from the Archdiocese of Washington published below.)

More here-

https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/breaking-pope-accepts-cardinal-wuerls-resignation

also here

http://catholicphilly.com/2018/10/news/national-news/cardinal-wuerl-led-high-profile-endeavors-in-32-years-as-a-bishop/

Cardinal Wuerl says he's ready to 'step aside' so the Catholic Church can heal

From Pittsburgh-

Cardinal Donald Wuerl told parishioners Friday that he is repenting for the “wounds that were caused by my bad judgments or failures” as he prepares to discuss his resignation with Pope Francis. 

Wuerl — the archbishop of Washington and former Pittsburgh bishop entangled in two far-reaching child sex abuse scandals — introduced a six-week “Season of Healing” during a special Mass at the Cathedral of Saint Matthew the Apostle in Washington, D.C. 

During the homily portion of the service, Wuerl said that he hopes that all church leaders will demonstrate transparency as the Roman Catholic Church moves away “from the darkness of sin and failure — abuse and shame.” 

The remarks during Mass echoed the cardinal’s expression of remorse conveyed in a blog post on Thursday , in which Wuerl said he regrets some of his decisions over the past 30 years. 

More here-

https://triblive.com/local/allegheny/14081126-74/cardinal-wuerl-says-hes-ready-to-step-aside-so-the-catholic-church

In letter, Wuerl says he’s prepared to step down ‘to begin the healing’

From Washington DC-

Cardinal Donald Wuerl says he is prepared to step down in the wake of an intense firestorm of criticism over his handling of sex abuse claims dating back decades.

“Those called to serve the Church in a leadership capacity must recognize that we are to lead not only by word, but also by personal action,” Wuerl wrote in the Sept. 13 letter posted on the Archdiocese of Washington’s website. “We must be prepared to do whatever is needed, including stepping aside. This action on my part is an essential aspect of the healing so that this archdiocesan Church we all love can move forward.”

n a letter to priests sent earlier this week, Wuerl said he planned to meet with Pope Francis “in the near future” to discuss his possible resignation. Wuerl, 77, submitted his resignation nearly three years ago when he turned 75, which is customary.

More here-

https://wtop.com/dc/2018/09/in-letter-wuerl-says-hes-prepared-to-step-down-to-begin-the-healing/ 

and here-

http://dcist.com/2018/09/cardinal_wuerl_will_ask_pope_franci.php

Cardinal Wuerl Recognizes Calls for ‘New Leadership’ – Proposes Season of Healing

From NCR-

Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington on Thursday recognized calls for new leadership in the archdiocese, including from local priests, but did not say whether he was considering stepping down.
In a September 6 letter to the priests of the archdiocese, Wuerl referenced a 90-minute period of prayer and discernment he had held with the priests of diocese three days earlier, before the annual Labor Day cookout.

“Among the many observations was that the archdiocese would be well served by new leadership to help move beyond the current confusion, disappointment and disunity,” he said in the letter.
Wuerl, who has faced growing calls for resignation over allegations of mishandling abuse reports, did not elaborate on his future leadership intentions. Sources have told CNA that Wuerl had hoped to stay on as Archbishop of Washington until the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ fall general assembly in November.

More here-

http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/cardinal-wuerl-recognizes-calls-for-new-leadership-proposes-season-of-heali 

and here-

http://catholicherald.co.uk/news/2018/09/07/cardinal-wuerl-acknowledges-calls-for-new-leadership/

Churchgoer shouts 'shame on you' at Cardinal Wuerl during Mass

From ABC-

Protesters confronted the archbishop of Washington in Mass on Sunday as he addressed the ballooning sexual abuse scandal within the church. 

One parishioner shouted "shame on you" and walked out as Cardinal Donald Wuerl spoke about the scandal on Sunday, while another turned her back in protest of him, according to video posted on social media. 

"Yes, my brothers and sisters, shame. I wish I could redo everything over these 30 years as a bishop and each time get it always right," Wuerl said in response to the protesters. 

More here-

https://abcnews.go.com/US/churchgoer-shouts-shame-cardinal-wuerl-mass/story?id=57570736

Cardinal Wuerl's name taken off Pittsburgh school due to scandal

From Reuters-

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh said on Wednesday it had removed Cardinal Donald Wuerl’s name from a high school after a grand jury report on sex abuse in the Church found he had reassigned priests who had been accused of abusing children, rather than taking stronger action. 

Prior to his current role as archbishop of Washington, Wuerl was bishop of Pittsburgh from 1988 to 2006. The grand jury report did not accuse him of personally sexually abusing children.  

The Pittsburgh diocese said in a statement that following the release of the report, Wuerl asked last week for his name to be removed from Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic High School, saying he did not want to be a distraction. The school has been renamed North Catholic High School. 

More here-

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pennsylvania-religion-sexcrimes/cardinal-wuerls-named-pulled-from-pittsburgh-high-school-amid-scandal-idUSKCN1L71PB

Wuerl to address his role in Pennsylvania sex-abuse scandals with priests in archdiocese: Report

From D.C.-

The archbishop of Washington will reportedly hold a meeting Monday of priests in the archdiocese over his role in the Pennsylvania sex-abuse scandals.

“A spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Washington” confirmed Sunday night that Cardinal Donald Wuerl will address his priests on the grand-jury report on that matter, TV station WTTG (Fox 5) reported.

Cardinal Wuerl was bishop of Pittsburgh from 1988 to 2006, part of the period investigated by the Pennsylvania grand jury and his mishandling of sex-abuse charges was widely detailed in its report. All told, according to the report, six of the state’s dioceses knew of more than 300 priests accused of varying forms of sex-abuse against more than 1,000 young people.

In addition, according to Fox-5, Cardinal Wuerl will also discuss with his priests the case of Theodore McCarrick, his predecessor as Washington archbishop who resigned from the College of Cardinals over charges of sexual abuse of boys and young men — his seminarians and other men discerning the priesthood among them — going back decades.

More here-

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/aug/19/donald-wuerl-meet-priests-over-sex-abuse-scandals/

Cardinal Wuerl apologizes to Pittsburgh victim of sex abuse

From The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette-

In his first year as the Roman Catholic bishop of Pittsburgh in 1988, Donald Wuerl publicly voiced doubts about a lawsuit filed by a former seminarian who claimed that when he was a boy, a priest had sexually abused him for years.

Despite the skepticism, now-Cardinal Wuerl did send the priest off for a psychiatric evaluation. The bishop became convinced soon enough that the allegations against the Rev. Anthony Cipolla were credible. He prevented the priest from returning to the ministry even through a high-stakes legal battle with the Vatican in the 1990s.

Now Cardinal Wuerl, the archbishop of Washington, is paying tribute to Tim Bendig, the abuse survivor who filed that initial lawsuit, apologizing for his initial doubts and saying he helped protect other children and reform the church.

Abuse survivors such as Mr. Bendig call on church leaders to “uphold our own moral teaching,” Cardinal Wuerl said.

More here-

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2016/11/30/Cardinal-Wuerl-apologizes-to-Pittsburgh-victim-of-abuse-by-priest/stories/201611220160

Debating the nature of marriage

From The Washington Post-

This is a significant moment in our public conversation on marriage. By ruling a key part of the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional and choosing not to rule on the question of same-sex marriage in California, the Supreme Court essentially declared that the federal government may not set parameters for the definition of marriage but, instead, must leave that power to the states.

This means that the important debate about the meaning of marriage is destined to continue. Some have framed this debate in terms of “equality.” That rings with a certain American appeal. Everyone wants to be treated equally, with the love and respect due all people. But focusing on “marriage equality” gets the question wrong. Equality requires treating like cases alike. We need to determine whether we have “like cases” at all. If we want to address the principle of equality correctly, we need to get to the truth of marriage first.

Arguing that the law, for equality’s sake, should recognize two men or two women as “married” presumes that these pairs are the same as one man and one woman and that marriage is simply a committed relationship of any adults. All of this raises the question: What is the nature of marriage?

More here-

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/what-is-the-nature-of-marriage/2013/06/28/d0a551ba-e004-11e2-b2d4-ea6d8f477a01_story.html

Cardinal Wuerl: ‘We’re a little ways off’ from establishing an ordinariate

From Catholic Culture-

Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith’s delegate for the implementation of Anglicanorum Coetibus in the United States, said in a recent interview that “we’re a little ways off yet” from the establishment of a personal ordinariate of former Anglicans in the United States.

Issued in late 2009, Pope Benedict’s apostolic constitution Anglicanorum Coetibus sets forth the terms for the corporate reception of Anglicans into the Catholic Church. The document allows for the establishment of ordinariates—roughly the equivalent of non-geographical dioceses—to serve the pastoral needs of Anglicans who wish to become Catholic while preserving their own liturgical heritage.

“We’re hearing from those Anglican communities and those Anglicans who wish to explore more fully what the ordinariate will mean and who wish to be a part of it,” Cardinal Wuerl said.

“Questionnaires have gone out asking them to identify more clearly who they are and what the nature is of their current community,” he added. “The goal is to determine whether there is a response substantial enough to warrant the establishment of an ordinariate here in the US.”

“Our next step now is to have the Holy See determine whether there are sufficient numbers and sufficient response to establish an ordinariate.”

More here-

http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=9144