BALTIMORE (AP) — Numerous U.S. Roman Catholic bishops are calling for a formal repudiation of Theodore McCarrick, the ex-cardinal facing allegations of sexual misconduct over a long stretch of his career.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has been striving during its three-day meeting in Baltimore to show its commitment to combating clergy sex-abuse even though the Vatican ordered it to delay votes on two key anti-abuse proposals.
The abuse scandal has affected many dioceses, but the bishops appeared to be most angered and embarrassed by McCarrick.
He is alleged to have abused and harassed youths and seminarians over many years as he rose to be archbishop of Washington and a member of the College of Cardinals until his removal by Pope Francis in July.
In other action Wednesday, the bishops approved a pastoral letter condemning racism, the first time they have spoken as a group on that issue since 1979.
