During his return trip to Greece, Pope Francis returned to the reasons that led him to accept the resignation of the Archbishop of Paris last week.
“When the rumor grows, grows, grows and reaches the reputation of a man, he can no longer govern.
And that is an injustice.
This is why I accepted Bishop Aupetit's resignation, not on the altar of truth but on that of hypocrisy, ”he explained.
"I wonder: what on earth did Aupetit do that was so serious about resigning?
If we do not know the accusation, we cannot condemn, "the Pope said again, inviting journalists to" investigate. "" It is dangerous to condemn.
Who condemned him?
Public opinion, rumors?
But what did he do?
We don't know, ”he added.
The archbishop had been implicated in an article in the French weekly Le Point, giving him in 2012 an intimate and agreed relationship with a woman.
An email sent by mistake by the prelate left little doubt, according to the weekly, about the relationship maintained.
An "ambiguous" relationship
The man of the Church had categorically denied, then the diocese of Paris had evoked "an ambiguous behavior with a person very present vis-à-vis him", assuring that it was "not about a romantic relationship ”Nor of a“ sexual relationship ”.
The Pope, however, evoked "a failure" on the part of Bishop Aupetit "to the sixth commandment" ("You will not commit adultery", note), "not total but small caresses and massages he was doing on his own. Secretary ".
“That’s a sin.
But it is not the most serious sin because the sins of the flesh are not the most serious.
(...) Thus, Bishop Aupetit is a sinner.
As I am, as was Peter, the bishop on whom Christ founded his Church, ”he declared.
In his declaration, the archbishop explains that he wanted to “put his office” as bishop back into the hands of the pope in order to “preserve the diocese from the division that is always caused by suspicion and loss of confidence”.
