Catholic Cardinal questioned for negligence over pedophile case in France

French Cardinal Philippe Barbarin has been interrogated by the police as he is under investigation over an alleged negligence on his part for failing to act on a pedophile case against the Rev. Bernard Preynat, who's been accused of molesting boy scouts between 1986 and 1991.

Official reports indicated that the 65-year-old cardinal-archbishop of Lyon arrived at the police station at 8 a.m. Wednesday, June 8, according to BBC News.

"Like any witness, he is being asked what he knew," lawyer Andre Soulier told Religion News Service.

He added that the cardinal's interrogation "will not be followed by any obligation to appear in court, any opening of a judicial investigation or any indictment."

"I have never, never, never covered up acts of paedophilia," insisted Barbarin at a press conference in March.

Although just a month later, the cardinal admitted in an official statement of committing "errors in the management and appointment of some priests."

La Parole Liberee, an organization supporting the sexually abused victims, filed charges against Preynant in January. The organization is also responsible for the charges filed against the cardinal for failing to report abuse which can send him to three years imprisonment and a fine of about €45,000.

"The cardinal is in a difficult situation, since he wasn't in office when these events occurred," President of the European Federation of Catholic Family Association Antoine Renard told Catholic News Service.

Renard is referring to the fact that Barbarin was not officiating Lyon when the alleged sexual harassments took place. The cardinal only took office in the Lyon archdiocese in 2002. However, Barbarin admitted in an interview back in February to hearing about the allegations surrounding Preynant "around 2007-2008." The cardinal did not do anything after the priest gave him assurances.

Asked whether Barbarin should resign amid the controversy, Pope Francis said in an interview with La Croix newspaper (via Religion News Service): "We will see after the trial is over. But now, it would be declaring oneself guilty."

On Saturday, June 4, the Vatican pope issued a new law wherein bishops could be removed from their positions for negligence in handling abuse cases.