Washington D.C., Sep 4, 2018 / 15:36 pm
As Cardinal Donald Wuerl spoke about the sex abuse crisis after Mass in Washington D.C. on Sunday, one man stood up and yelled, "Shame on you!" in protest.
"We need to hold close in our prayers and our loyalty, our Holy Father Pope Francis. Increasingly it is clear that he is the object of considerable animosity ..." Wuerl said before a Catholic in the congregation, Brian Garfield, shouted at Wuerl and walked out of the Church of the Annunciation, where the cardinal had just completed the installation Mass of a new pastor.
At least one other woman walked out in protest of the cardinal, while another turned her back. Wuerl responded, "Yes, my brothers and sisters, shame." He expressed regret that he had not "always been right" during his past 30 years as a bishop.
Wuerl, the archbishop of Washington D.C. and successor of former-cardinal Theodore McCarrick, came under increasing scrutiny in August because of his role in sex abuse cases listed in an Aug. 14 Pennsylvania grand jury report and because he has been accused of negligent oversight of his predecessor, McCarrick, who is alleged to have sexually abused priests, seminarians, and two minors.