After 20 years of experience as papal nuncio, Pierre knows the proper steps that need to be taken when a bishop or priest defies the pope. The first step is dialogue, he said, followed by an admonition and eventually a request for resignation. But in the end, he said, “the responsibility lies with the pope.”
When synod participants gather at the Vatican there is no doubt that the question of how to handle rogue clergy will be addressed, Pierre said.
“Maybe some bright idea will come out on how to handle the relationship between the pope and the bishops and priests and so forth,” he said.
This article originally appeared here.
