This combination of files pictures created on May 20, 2016 shows Pope Francis (L) attending the funeral of Cardinal Giovanni Coppa at St. Peter鈥檚 Basilica on May 18, 2016 in Vatican and Roman Catholic Cardinal, Archbishop of Lyon, Philippe Barbarin leading a mass, on April 3, 2016 in Saint-Jean cathedral in Lyon. Pope Francis met with a cardinal accused of covering up for a pedophile priest in a scandal that has rocked the Church in France, the Vatican spokesman said on May 20, 2016. AFP
VATICAN CITY, Holy See鈥揚ope Francis came under fire Friday after meeting Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, the Lyon archbishop suspected of covering up for a pedophile priest in a scandal that has rocked the Catholic Church in France.
鈥淭here was a meeting, nothing out of the ordinary,鈥� Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said, adding that he expected the two men had discussed the crisis in the French church, as well as regular business.
After meeting the pontiff, Barbarin said he would be staying in his post with Francis鈥� blessing.
鈥淚f the law showed up a serious negligent behaviour in my mission then (resignation) would be a course of action to envisage,鈥� the archbishop told French daily Le Figaro.
鈥淔or the moment, that would not be responsible, it would indeed be contrary to my duty. You do not leave the ship at the height of the storm,鈥� said Barbarin, one of France鈥檚 most senior clergymen.
He added that 鈥渘ot a single child鈥� had 鈥渟uffered from decisions that (he had) taken as a bishop鈥� and said he would await 鈥渟erenely鈥� the outcome of investigations into whether he knew of wrongdoing and failed to blow the whistle.
A support group for the alleged victims in the French scandal voiced regret that Francis had met Barbarin while magistrates are still mulling whether the cardinal should face criminal charges.
鈥淲e would have liked to have been received instead of the cardinal, we note that once again it鈥檚 the victims who are sidelined,鈥� Bertrand Virieux, a co-founder of Lyon-based group 鈥淟a Parole Liberee鈥�, told AFP.
Virieux said he had written to the pope in March seeking an audience.
The surprise meeting with Barbarin came three days after the pope was quoted as saying it would be 鈥渘onsensical and imprudent鈥� to seek the archbishop鈥檚 resignation at this stage, arguing that would be to imply he was guilty of potential criminal charges against him.
French examining magistrates are currently carrying out two preliminary investigations to decide whether to pursue charges against the archbishop for his handling of the allegations against Bernard Preynat, a priest in his diocese who has been charged with sex abuse.
Preynat was charged in January after admitting sexual assaults on four boy scouts between 1986 and 1991 鈥� crimes which his lawyers say he can no longer be convicted of.
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La Parole Liberee says it has identified more than 50 victims.
According to the Lyon diocese, Barbarin first received testimony from an alleged victim in mid-2014 and relieved Preynat of his duties in May 2015.
Francis said in an interview with French Catholic newspaper La Croix this week that he believed Barbarin had 鈥渢aken the necessary measures鈥�, and had the situation in hand.
Old wounds reopened
Victims groups reacted angrily, saying Francis could not possibly know all the details of a case they say highlights the reluctance of the Church to hand pedophile priests over to criminal authorities.
Virieux also expressed regret at Francis meeting the cardinal on the same day as an important court hearing in the charged priest鈥檚 case.
Lyon鈥檚 appeal court on Friday held a a pre-trial hearing on Preynat鈥檚 appeal against an earlier ruling that the alleged abuse is no longer subject to prosecution on statute of limitations grounds.
Barbarin admitted last month to 鈥渆rrors in the management and nomination of certain priests,鈥� but vehemently denied any cover-up.
Pope Francis came to power promising a crackdown on cover-ups and a zero tolerance approach to abuse itself, which he famously described as being akin to taking part in a Satanic mass.
But the Barbarin case, the recent Royal Commission hearing on Australia鈥檚 Cardinal George Pell鈥檚 alleged involvement in cover-ups and the lenient treatment of abusive Italian priest Mauro Inzoli have reopened old wounds.
After decades of scandals that have badly damaged the Church鈥檚 standing in many countries, victims complain they are still not being listened to, that bishops will not hand priests over to police and that a conspiracy of silence remains in place.
Francis had put in place legal structures enabling pedophile clerics to be tried by the Vatican鈥檚 criminal court.
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