Pope accepts resignation of Polish bishop

VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of the Archbishop of Gdansk, the Holy See said on Thursday, following accusations he had bullied priests and remained silent on alleged sex abuse.

Priests in the 75-year-old’s archdiocese claimed in a letter to the Vatican last year that Bishop Glodz had subjected them to psychological harassment. The bishop, who denies the bullying, has also been criticised for keeping silent about the alleged actions of several priests accused by Polish prosecutors of sexual abuse against children. Among them was Henryk Jankowski, a high-profile priest who died 10 years ago and was never convicted of a crime despite accusations of abuse since 2004. In March, a group of Catholics sent a letter to the Vatican calling for Glodz’s resignation before his potential retirement age of 75.