French Bishop Resigns Amid Seven-Year Affair: Vatican's Intervention Sparks Debate
Pope Leo XIV presses French bishop Jean-Paul Gusching to resign over his relationship with a woman, igniting discussions on the Church's handling of similar cases.
STRASBOURG, France: The Vatican has revealed that Pope Leo XIV urged a French bishop, Jean-Paul Gusching, to step down due to his 'relationships with women,' marking a rare public intervention by the Holy See concerning a bishop's personal life.
Gusching, who served as the Bishop of Verdun, submitted his resignation in late September, initially attributing it to health issues.
However, the Vatican's embassy in France clarified that this was only 'one element' of their decision.
The embassy, or Apostolic Nunciature in Paris, stated they had alerted the Pope to Gusching’s situation, leading him to promise to avoid behaviors towards women that could be seen as against his holy vows.
Despite this, the Pope requested and accepted Gusching's resignation on September 27 due to the ongoing nature of the situation.
Gusching confirmed in a statement to local media that he had been in a relationship from around 2015 to 2022, but insisted it was consensual with an adult woman.
He criticized his resignation as 'disgusting,' suggesting jealousy played a part.
The Vatican has instructed Gusching to refrain from all liturgical celebrations and public pastoral activities.
The case of Bishop Gusching highlights the complex issues faced by the Catholic Church in addressing relationships between its clergy and adults, especially amid ongoing scrutiny over past sexual abuse scandals.
Gusching, who served as the Bishop of Verdun, submitted his resignation in late September, initially attributing it to health issues.
However, the Vatican's embassy in France clarified that this was only 'one element' of their decision.
The embassy, or Apostolic Nunciature in Paris, stated they had alerted the Pope to Gusching’s situation, leading him to promise to avoid behaviors towards women that could be seen as against his holy vows.
Despite this, the Pope requested and accepted Gusching's resignation on September 27 due to the ongoing nature of the situation.
Gusching confirmed in a statement to local media that he had been in a relationship from around 2015 to 2022, but insisted it was consensual with an adult woman.
He criticized his resignation as 'disgusting,' suggesting jealousy played a part.
The Vatican has instructed Gusching to refrain from all liturgical celebrations and public pastoral activities.
The case of Bishop Gusching highlights the complex issues faced by the Catholic Church in addressing relationships between its clergy and adults, especially amid ongoing scrutiny over past sexual abuse scandals.
