Australian Archbishop Philip Wilson has been charged with covering up sex abuse by another priest during the 1970s. He maintains his innocence and has refused to resign from his role as archbishop in South Australia.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/AAP/P. Lorimer
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Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Thursday called for Pope Francis to fire archbishop Philip Wilson, who has been convicted of covering up child sex abuse.
"He should have resigned, and the time has come for the pope to sack him," Turnbull told reporters in Sydney ahead of a meeting with senior Catholic officials.
"There are many leaders that have called on him to resign … and I think the time has come now for the ultimate authority in the church to take action," Turnbull said.
Fletcher was found guilty in 2004 of nine counts of child sexual abuse and died in prison in 2006 after a stroke.
Wilson has stepped down from his duties as archbishop of Adelaide in the state of South Australia but has refused to resign pending an appeal of his conviction, prompting Turnbull – who has previously called on Wilson to quit – to turn to the Vatican for help.
Australian archbishop guilty of concealing child abuse
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Wilson denies charges
The archbishop has continually denied the charges and his legal team has made four attempts to have the case thrown out, arguing the he suffered from Alzheimer's and so should avoid trial.
The royal commission – which ran for five years – spoke to thousands of victims and heard claims of abuse involving churches, orphanages, sporting clubs, youth groups and schools.
5 years of Pope Francis
Since becoming pope in 2013, Francis has tried to reform the Catholic Church by preaching and exemplifying humility. Some have applauded him for his efforts, while others have hurled criticism.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/Agentur Andina/J. C. Guzmán
'Buona sera!'
On March 13, 2013, Jorge Mario Bergoglio greeted the crowd in St. Peter's Square in the heart of Rome with a simple "good evening!" moments after the Conclave had selected him as the new pope. He thus began his term with a down-to-earth tone that has marked his stewardship of the Catholic Church ever since.
Image: Reuters
Reform committee 'K9'
The new pontiff immediately tackled topics that the Catholic Church had been discussing before his election. He set up a nine-person cardinal conference to reform the church's organization and direction. The guiding principle: the Roman Catholic Church is not an end in itself. Instead, it should seek to spread the teachings of the Bible and bring the Vatican and its followers closer together.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano
Supporting the weak
The deaths of migrants crossing from Africa to Europe are "a thorn in the heart," said Pope Francis on his first bridge building trip to Lampedusa. At the time of his visit in the summer of 2013, thousands of migrants were on the Italian island hoping to receive legal permits to continue their journey onto the European mainland.
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Symbol of humility
It aligned perfectly with his own message of the "poor church:" the picture of Pope Francis with the 30-year-old Renault 4 that he had received as a gift from a pastor in Verona. Francis reportedly wanted to drive the car, but was not allowed to due to security concerns. The symbol of modesty has endured.
Image: Reuters
Francis the celebrity
Francis' worldly style quickly made him an icon for progressive Catholics and other Christians. Even non-Christians applauded the pope and rubbed their eyes in amazement at the contrast between Francis and his conservative and academic predecessor, Pope Benedict. After 10 months in office, Francis became the first pope to make the cover of "Rolling Stone" magazine.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/ROLLING STONE
Controversial bridge builder
Francis takes his task as bridge builder very seriously. He has acted as a mediator between warring parties in civil conflicts in central Africa and Colombia and also helped bring an end to frozen relations between the US and Cuba. With an eye toward the Mexican-US border, he has also urged US President Donald Trump to build bridges rather than walls.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/Agentur Andina/J. C. Guzmán
Believers and religions from all corners of the earth
Francis has also tried to build bridges between confessions and religions. He prayed at the wailing wall in Jerusalem and met the Grand Mufti Mohammad Hussein. In Egypt, he visited the head of the Coptic Church, Tawadros II, and Grand Imam Ahmed al-Tayeb. In Myanmar, he spoke to Buddhist monks and in Havanna, he met with the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kyrill I (pictured).
Image: Getty Images/AFP/A. Roque
People person
Francis spontaneously wed a couple on an airplane during a trip to Chile in January 2018. The two crew members were traveling with the pope on a flight from the capital Santiago to the northern city of Iquique. They had apparently told Francis of their plans to marry.
Image: Reuters/Osservatore Romano
Criticism from within the church
Francis' reform course has been too radical for some clerics. This poster in Rome accused Francis of showing no mercy within the church. He reportedly also has little time for dissent within the Vatican. Some church members think his course is too secular, his humility too bold, its display too media-orientated. The essence of religiosity – spirituality – some fear, could get lost in it all.
Image: picture-alliance/Zuma Press
Sexual abuse scandal in the Church
But the major challenge now faced by Francis is the problem of sexual abuse, including of minors, by church representatives. In January, the pontiff was heavily criticized for supporting Chilean Bishop Juan Barros (pictured right), accused of an abuse cover-up. On a recent trip to Ireland, the pope begged for forgiveness amid an abuse scandal there. But critics say much more is needed.
